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HON.    CHARLES   J.    SMITH. 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


TOWN 


OF 


MONT   VERNON, 


NEW    HAMPSHIRE. 


BOSTON,  MASS. 

BLANCHARD    PRINTING    CO., 

:27   BEACH    STREET, 

1007. 


PREFACE. 


The  preparation  of  the  History  of  the  Town  of  Mont 
Vernon  has  involved  the  outlay  of  considerable  time  and 
patience,  and  like  other  publications  of  the  same  character  can 
not  be  perfect. 

The  author  of  the  History  of  Amherst,  the  late  Mr.  D.  F. 
Secombe,  in  acknowledging'  the  incompleteness  of  that  pub- 
lication very  justly  remarks  that  the  proper  preparation  of  a 
town  history  is  the  work  of  a  lifetime,  and  not  of  three  or 
four  years. 

The  History  of  Mont  Vernon  is  necessarily  brief.  Its 
history  was  merged  in  that  of  Amherst,  the  parent  town,  until 
the  year  1803,  from  which  it  was  then  severed. 

The  town  is  small  in  population  ;  its  largest  number  of 
inhabitants,  being  763 — in  1830 — small  in  industries  and  busi- 
ness, but  the  enterprise  of  its  people  is  not  to  be  measured  by 
these  things.  The  writer  has  been  unable  to  gather  much 
material  in  the  shape  of  records,  personal  intercourse  with 
old  settlers,  etc.,  upon  which  to  work  as  a  basis.  Had  he  an- 
ticipated some  fifty  years  since,  that  it  was  to  be  his  task  to 
prepare  at  some  future  time  a  history  of  the  Town  of  Mont 
Vernon,  he  might  then  have  collected  much  valuable  material 
from  interviews  with  aged  people,  wdio  have  passed  away 
since,  which  would  have  proved  entertaining  and  interesting. 
As  it  is,  there  is  scarcely  a  person  living,  who  could  furnish 
facts  concerning  the  early  history  of  the  town. 

The  writer  has  collected  and  put  into  shape  all  available 
material. 


IV  PREFACE 

Taking  all  these  facts  into  consideration  the  reader  must 
see  that  the  History  of  Mont  Vernon  would  be  short,  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  make  it  a  book  of  much  size. 

After  all  we  know  but  comparatively  nothing  of  the 
perils  and  privations  of  the  pioneer's  life.  They  toiled  amid 
dangers  and  difficulties  of  which  we  have  no  adequate  concep- 
tion. 

Rough,  hardy,  worthy  people  were  they,  having  a  con- 
stant struggle  for  existence,  with  little  pleasure  in  their  lives. 
Such  as  these  were  the  founders  of  this  great  republic,  which 
they  left  behind  them  as  an  imperishable  monument. 

Let  us  who  come  after  them  strive  to  cherish  and  per- 
petuate these  institutions,  which  they  founded,  for  our  chil- 
dren, as  they  cherished  and  perpetuated  them  for  us. 

The  writer  hopes  that  this  work  will  prove  readable,  and 
also  be  a  valuable  book  of  reference,  perhaps  not  so  much  to 
the  present  generation  as  it  will  to  the  future  generation. 

The  map  of  the  old  church  was  drawn  and  presented  by 
Mrs.  S.  J.  Bunton. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Hon.  Charles  J.  Smith Frontispiece 

Old  Meeting  House 84 

New  Meeting  House 96 

Appleton  Academy 112 

Old  Mount  Vernon  House 1G9 

Summer  Residence  of  J.  Frank  Wellman 185 


CHAPTER  I. 


Early  History  and  Early  Settlers  —  Narragansett 
Townships  —  First  Settlement  —  Establishment 
of  Boundaries  between  New  Hampshire  and 
Massachusetts  —  Incorporation  of  Amherst  — 
Pioneer  Settlers  of  Mont  Vernon — Second 
Church  —  Building  of  Church  —  Incorporation 
of  Second  Parish  —  Warrant  for  Parish  Meeting 
— Miscellaneous     Proceedings 1-14 

CHAPTER   II. 

Condition  Preliminary  to  the  Separation  from  the 
Parent  Town — Public  Events — Sketch  of  Charles 
H.  Atherton,  Charles  G.  Atherton,  Samuel  Dana 
and  Others  —  Troublous  Times  —  Organization 
of  Third  Parish  —  Incorporation  of  Milford  — 
Political  Parties 15-26 


VI  INDEX 

CHAPTER  III. 

Separation  from  Amherst — Voting  Actions  of  North- 
west Parish — Act  of  Incorporation  of  New  Town 
Boundary  —  Tax  Payers  —  Pirst  Town  Meeting         27-30 

CHAPTER   IV. 

Description  and  Boundaries  —  Situation  —  Surface  — 
Brooks  and  Ponds — Game,  Birds,  Etc. — Climate 
Purgatory — Dedication  of  Purgatory 31-35 

CHAPTER   V. 

Politics  —  Free  Soil  Party  —  Careers  of  Marden  and 
Bruce  —  Highways  and  Bridges  —  Old  Turnpike 
Taverns  —  Notable  Events  —  Spotted  Fever  — 
Tempests  and  Floods  —  Dark  and  Yellow  Days 
—  Long  Winters 36-53 

CHAPTER   VI. 

Ecclesiastical  History — List  of  Ministers  and  Dea- 
cons— Sketches  of  the  Eighteen  Ministers — 
Revivals  —  Temperance    Reform 5-1-82 

CHAPTER   VII. 

The  Old  Meeting-House — Pew  Grounds — Altera- 
tions—  Transfer  of  Parish  Matters  to  Town  — 
Buildings  on  the  Common — Fire  in  Meeting 
House — Its  Removal  Across  the  Road — Hearse 
and  Hearse  House  —  As  a  Town  Hall  —  Town 
and  Society  Quitclaim  to  Each  Other  —  Certain 
Rights  Reserved  —  Changing  Meeting-House  to 
Town  Hall  —  Town  Hall  Dedicated.  . 83-91 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  New  Meeting  House  —  How  Project  Started  — 
Committee  —  The  Dedication —  Programme  of 
Exercises  —  Report  of  Building  Committee  — 
Dedication  Sermon  --  Description  —  Memorial 
Windows    95-105 


INDEX  VII 

CHAPTER   IX. 

Educational  —  Public    Schools  —  Early     Pupils  - 
Aurean  Academy  at  Amherst  —  Latin  Grammar 
School  —  Money  Appropriated  —  Literal'}-  Fund 

—  Appleton    Academy  —  Built    by    Shareholders 

—  Incorporation    of    Academy  —  First     Printed 
Catalogue  —  New  Academy  Building — Library 
Given    by    Mr.    Appleton  —  Permanent    Fund  — 
Sketches  of  Principals   106-148 

CHAPTER   X. 

McCollom  Institute  Succeeds  Appleton  Academy  — 
Endowment-  by  George  W.  McCollom  of  New 
York  —  Charter  Amended  —  Different  Principals 

—  Improvements  — Trustees  Incorporated  —  By- 
Laws —  As  a  Town  High  School  —  Triennial 
Alumni    Reunions 149-180 

CHAPTER   XL 

Old  Home  Week — Mont  Vernon  First  Town  to 
Respond  — The  Governor  Attends  — Three  Days' 
Festivities  —  Illuminations.  Fire  Works,  Sports, 
Etc.  —  Celebrations  Each  Year 181-191 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Three  Celebrations  in  One  —  The  Triennial  Alumni 
Reunion,  Old  Home  Week  and  Hundredth  An- 
niversary of  the  Incorporation  of  the  Town  — 
Outline  Report  of  All  Three  —  Col.  Goerge  A. 
Bruce's  Oration  —  H.  Porter  Smith's  Church 
Story  —  Reminiscences  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter     192-221 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

Military  History  —  French  and  Indian  Wars  —  Revo- 
lutionary War  — War  of  1812  —  Musters  —  Mex- 
ican War  —  Civil  War  —  Action  of  Town  as  to 
Bounties — Men  burnished  Under  Different  Calls 

—  Raising  Quotas  —  Action  as  to  Drafted  Men 

or   Substitutes    222-233 


V11I  INDEX 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Statistical — Population — How  and  Why  it  Decreased 
— Indebtedness  of  Town  Before  and  During  Civil 
War — War  Expenses — Bounties — Town  Bonds 
Longevity  —  Moderators,  Town  Clerks,  Select- 
men — Their  Compensation  —  Representatives.  .      234-243 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Conclusion  244-245 


HISTORY  OF  MT.  VERNON. 


CHAPTER  I. 
EARLY  HISTORY  AND  EARLY  SETTLERS. 

Narragansett  Townships — Meeting  of  Proprietors  of  Soihegan 
West — Towns  to  which  Proprietors  Belonged — First  Set- 
tlement in  Township  —  Lieut.  Joseph  Prince — Pioneers'  Dif- 
ficulties—  Sawmill — Establishment  of  Boundaries  Between 
New  Hampshire  and  Massachi  setts — Grist-Mill  Built — In- 
corporation of  Amherst — Pioneer  Settlers  of  Mont  Vernon 
— Desire  of  the  Northwest  Part  of  Town  to  be  Set  Off 
Into  a  Second  Parish — Exertions  of  Northwest  to  be  Set 
off — Second  Church  of  Amherst — Building  of  Church — 
Petition  of  Northwest  Part  of  Town — Act  of  Incorpora- 
tion of  Second  Parish — Warrant  for  Parish  Meeting — 
Actions  of  Parish  Meeting — Hiring  of  Mr.  Bruce  Estab- 
lishment of  Parish  Boundaries — Completion  of  Church  Edi- 
fice— Miscellaneous  Proceedings. 

IN  1733  the  Province  of  Massachusetts  assigned  certain  un- 
settled tracts  of  territory,  afterwards  formed  into  townships,  as  a 
reward  of  valor,  to  seven  companies  composed  of  those  who  were 
officers  and  soldiers  iu  King  Philip's  War  (which  occurred  in  1675-76), 
and  particularly  those  who  were  in  the  Narragansett  expedition,  and 
took  part  in  the  Swamp  Fight  on  December  19th,  1675,  under  Captain 
Benjamin  Church.  They  were  known  as  the  Narragansett  townships, 
from  the  name  of  the  leading  tribe  with  which  King  Philip's  War  was 
waged. 

The  grantees  were  surviving  officers  and  soldiers,  or  their  legal 
representatives.  Each  company  was  composed  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  grantees.  The  seven  Narragansett  townships  were  located  as 
follows:  Massachusetts,  three:  New  Hampshire,  two;  Maine,  two. 
Grant  Number  Three,  located  in  New  Hampshire,  was  called  Souhe- 


2  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

gan  West,  and  comprised  all  of  Amherst  and  Milford,  and  the  larger 
parts  of  Merrimack  and  Mont  Vernon.  Grant  Number  Five,  known 
as  Souhegan  East,  embraced  the  present  town  of  Bedford  and  parts 
of  Merrimack,  and  of  what  is  now  the  city  of  Manchester. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  Souhegan  West  was  held 
at  Salem,  July  17,  1734.  A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to 
take  a  "particular  view  of  the  circumference  of  said  township  and 
make  report  to  the  Grantees  on  the  second  Tuesday  in  September 
next."  They  were  authorized  to  employ  a  surveyor  and  such  guides 
as  might  be  necessary,  at  the  expense  of  the  proprietors.  Another 
committee  of  eight  was  appointed  to  sub-divide  the  township.  In 
September,  1734,  the  proprietors  met  to  hear  the  report  of  their  view- 
ing committee,  who  stated  that  they  had  been  disappointed  in  the 
surveyor  they  had  engaged,  but  "'they  had  been  on  the  land  and  found 
it  well  timbered."  The  sub-dividing  committee  was  directed  to  lay 
out  sixty  acres  to  each  proprietor  for  his,  or  her,  first  home  lot;  what 
was  wanting  in  quality  to  be  made  up  in  quantity. 

At  a  meeting  January  8,  1735,  it  was  voted  that  three  lots  be 
reserved  :  one  for  the  first  settled  minister  ;  one  for  the  ministry ;  and 
one  for  the  school.  The  lots  laid  out  by  the  committee  appear  to 
have  been  drawn  by  the  proprietors  at  this  meeting.  The  towns  to 
which  the  proprietors  belonged,  and  the  number  in  each  town,  were 
as  follows:  Andover,  9;  Beverly,  14;  Boxford,  4;  Bradford,  1; 
Chatham,  1 ;  Falmouth.  2  ;  Gloucester,  5  ;  Lynn.  27  ;  Marblehead,  7  ; 
Reading,  2  ;  Salem,  20  ;  Scarborough,  1  ;  Topsfield,  13  ;  Wenham,  4 : 
York,  1.  Of  these,  two  were  females,  and  one  hundred  and  eighteen 
were  males :  twenty-nine  were  survivors  of  the  fight  at  Narragansett 
fort,  December,  1675,  and  ninety-one  were  children  or  legal  heirs  of 
those  to  whom  territory  was  assigned. 

At  a  meeting  May  1,  1735,  a  committee  of  three  was  appointed 
to  visit  the  township  and  find  and  lay  out  the  most  commodious  places 
whereon  to  erect  a  public  meeting-house,  a  convenient  public  burying 
ground,  another  for  a  training  field,  moreover  one  for  the  ministry, 
one  for  the  minister,  and  one  for  the  school,  and  make  a  return  to  the 
clerk,  that  he  ma}7  record  the  same. 

The  first  settlement  in  this  township  was  probably  made  in  1735, 
by  Samuel  Lamson  and  Samuel  Walton,  both  from  Reading,  Massa- 
chusetts, a  mile  south  of  Amherst  Plain,  where  they  built  a  log-house. 
Lamson,  about  1740,  removed  to  Mont  Vernon.  In  1765  he  removed 
to  Billerica,  Massachusetts,  and  died  there  in  1779.     His  sons,  Jon- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  3 

athan  and  John,  passed  their  lives  and  died  in  Mont  Vernon.  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Jonathan,  married  Deacon  Jacob  Kendall,  of  Mont 
Vernon,  in  17*2.  Four  daughters  and  one  son  of  John  spent  most  of 
their  lives  in  this  town.  Lieut.  Joseph  Prince,  of  Salem  Village,  now 
Danvers,  was  the  only  one  of  the  original  proprietors  who  settled  in 
the  township.  lie  was  a  proprietor  in  the  right  of  his  uncle,  Richard 
Prince.  According  to  a  family  tradition,  he  once  owned  a  belt  of 
land  extending  from  Bedford  line  westward  to  near  where  Mont 
Vernon  village  now  stands.  He  first  located  about  1710,  and  lived 
some  years  on  the  farm  about  one  mile  southeast  from  Mont  Vernon 
village  known  as  the  Jones  farm,  for  many  years  owned  by  Samuel 
Campbell,  now  by  William  G-urdy.  The  cellar  of  the  log  house  Prince 
occupied  has  been  discovered  by  Mr.  Gurdy  in  the  southern  part  of 
his  farm,  near  where  it  adjoins  George  0.  Hadley's  farm.  He 
[Prince]  removed  thence  to  the  easterly  part  of  Amherst,  lived,  and 
died  there  in  November,  1789,  on  the  farm  now  the  homestead  of  his 
great  grand-son,  Solomon  Prince.  Other  settlers  followed  Prince, 
mostly  from  the  vicinity  of  Salem,  but  the  progress  of  the  settlement 
was  slow,  notwithstanding  that  the  proprietors  voted  sums  of  money 
and  made  great  efforts  to  induce  settlers  to  locate  in  the  township. 

The  lives  of  the  first  settlers  in  the  New  Hampshire  townships 
were  a  constant  struggle  for  existence.  A  settler  in  one  of  them  thus 
describes  his  town  in  its  infancy:  "A  howling  wilderness  it  was, 
where  no  man  dwelt.  The  hideous  yells  of  wolves,  the  shrieks  of 
owls,  the  gobbling  of  turkeys,  and  the  barking  of  foxes  were  all  the 
music  we  heard.  All  a  dreary  waste  and  exposed  to  a  thousand  diffi- 
culties." In  1736  a  bridge  was  built  over  the  Souhegan  River,  for 
which  the  proprietors  paid  £95. 

The  building  of  a  sawmill  wTas  now  in  order,  and  in  April,  1737, 
the  proprietors  appointed  a  committee  "to  secure  the  building  of  the 
same  upon  Beaver  Brook  where  it  may  be  most  convenient,  provided 
that  said  mill  be  lit  to  saw  the  first  of  November  next,  and  that  it 
shall  be  kept  in  good  repair  for  ten  years,  and  to  saw  for  the  propri- 
etors by  the  halves  during  that  time,"  and  £120  was  levied  upon  the 
proprietors  to  pay  for  the  same. 

March  .">,  174<),  the  King  in  council  established  boundaries  be- 
tween the  provinces  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire,  which 
had  been  in  dispute,  which  have  remained  unchanged  until  the  present 
time.  By  this  decision  Souhegan  West,  with  twenty-seven  other 
townships,   which    had    been   granted   by   Massachusetts,    with   large 


4  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

quantities  of  ungranted  land  intermixed  among  them,  became  parts  of 
New  Hampshire. 

April,  1741,  it  was  voted  that  the  proprietors  give  to  John  Shep- 
ard,  of  Concord,  Massachusetts,  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  the 
Souhegan  River,  to  begin  at  William  Peabody's  hue  and  run  down  to 
the  bottom  of  the  falls,  he  to  build  a  good  grist-mill  and  a  good  saw- 
mill on  said  river  against  the  aforesaid  land,  and  to  keep  them  in  good 
repair  for  the  use  of  said  proprietors,  having  the  liberty  to  cut  such 
white  oak  timber  for  the  mill  as  he  wants."  The  same  year  he  built 
the  mill,  and  became  a  useful  and  honored  citizen  of  the  town. 

At  the  same  meeting  they  voted  to  build  a  bridge  over  the  Sou- 
hegan River,  and  appointed  a  committee  of  three  to  say  where  it 
should  be  built  and  to  get  it  done.  This  committee  was  composed  of 
Capt.  Samuel  Bancroft,  C'apt.  Thomas  Tarbox,  and  Joshua  Hicks. 
They  also  voted  that  they  "will  give  no  encouragement  to  a  blacksmith 
to  settle  among  them,"  but  they  soon  thought  better  of  it,  for  on  the 
22d  of  May,  1745,  they  voted  that  they  "will  give  encouragement  for 
a  blacksmith  to  settle  with  them,  and  that  Capt.  Parker,  Lieut.  Prince, 
and  Mr.  Lamson  be  desired  to  agree  with  a  good  smith  to  settle  with 
them."  Capt.  Parker  and  Mr.  Lamson  resided  in  the  district  now 
included  in  Mont  Vernon. 

As  the  sixty  families  required  by  the  grant  had  not  settled  in  the 
township,  the  proprietors  voted,  March.  1747,  to  choose  a  committee 
to  treat  with  and  get  an  obligation  to  secure  at  least  sixty  families 
with  those  that  are  already  there  to  settle  immediately,  agreeably  to 
the  grant. 

In  January,  1753,  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  Governor  and 
Council  of  New  Hampshire  by  thirty-two  citizens  of  Souhegan  West, 
for  incorporation  as  a  town.  Seven  of  these  citizens  lived  in  that 
part  of  the  town  which  is  now  Mont  Vernon.  They  were  Ebenezer 
Ellinwood,  Ebenezer  Ellinwood,  jr.,  Samuel  Lamson,  Samuel  Lam- 
son, jr.,  Ebenezer  Lyon,  Joseph  Steel,  and  Caleb  Stiles.  This 
petition  failed.  Seven  years  later,  January,  1760,  in  answer  to  an- 
other larger  petition  by  the  inhabitants,  Governor  Benning  Went- 
worth,  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Council,  granted  a  charter 
incorporating  Souhegan  West  into  a  town  by  the  name  of  Amherst, 
"reserving  to  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  the  power  and  the  right 
of  dividing  said  town  when  it  shall  appear  necessary  and  convenient 
to  the  inhabitants  thereof."  Lieut. -Col.  John  Goffe  was  appointed 
"to  call  the  first  meeting  of  inhabitants  of  said  town  within  forty 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  5 

days,"  at  which  meeting  Col.  Goffe  read  the  charter.  He  was  chosen 
moderator,  and  the  town  voted  to  accept  the  charter.  Col.  Goffe 
was  then  the  leading  citizen  of  the  town. 

The  resident  tax-payers  in  Amherst  in  17(10  were  one  hundred 
and  ten.  Of  these  certainly  twenty-two  lived  in  what  is  now  Mont 
Vernon.  These  original  settlers  bore  the  names  of  Averill,  Bradford, 
Carlton,  Cole,  Curtis.  Ellinwood,  Gould,  Harwood,  Holt,  Lovejoy, 
Lamson,  Odell,  Smith,  Steel,  Stiles,  Weston,  Wilkins. 

From  this  date  the  growth  of  the  northwest  part  of  the  town, 
afterwards  known  :is  the  Northwest  Parish,  now  as  Mont  Vernon, 
was  rapid. 

The  pioneer  settlers  of  Mont  Vernon  were  a  rough,  hardy, 
worthy  people.  In  many  of  them  the  religious  element  was  strong. 
Their  attendance  at  church  was  regular,  though  the  route  was  long 
and  tedious.  They  early  looked  forward  to  the  time  when  this  section 
should  become  a  separate  parish.  In  1777  Rev.  Daniel  Wilkins,  the 
first  minister  of  Amherst,  had  become  so  enfeebled  by  age  as  to  be 
incapable  of  performing  his  duties  acceptably;  the  town  sought  to 
obtain  a  colleague  pastor.  The  people  of  the  northwest  part  of  the 
town  made  this  an  occasion  for  a  strong  and  persistent  effort  for 
organization  into  a  separate  parish. 

In  the  winter  of  1777-7*.  the  church  and  town  extended  a  call 
to  Mr.  John  Blydenburg  to  become  associated  with  Mr.  Wilkins  as  a 
colleague  pastor.  Against  this  action  seventeen  citizens  of  what  is 
now  Mont  Vernon  made  a  written  protest,  demanding  that  it  be 
placed  on  the  town  records.      Mr.  Blydenburg  declined  the  call. 

In  the  spring  of  17711  petitions  were  presented  to  the  General 
Court  by  sundry  persons  belonging  to  the  northwesterly  part  of  the 
town  to  be  set  off  as  a  parish.  The  town  chose  a  committee  to  treat 
with  these  petitions,  in  March,  177'.),  and  at  a  subsequent  meeting 
on  the  31st  of  said  month,  after  hearing  the  report  of  the  committee, 
voted  not  to  set  them  off. 

In  August.  J77K,  the  town  appointed  an  agent  to  prepare  and 
present  reasons  why  this  petition  should  not  be  granted  before  the 
General  Court. 

December  (i,  177!),  sundry  inhabitants  of  the  northwest  part  of 
the  town  asked  to  be  voted  off  as  a  parish,  on  condition  that  the  in- 
habitants of  that  part  of  the  town  should  pay  their  full  proportion 
towards  the  support  of  Rev.  Mr.  Wilkins  and  every  charge  of  the 
town,   except   the   settlement  of  a  minister,    until   they   could   supply 


6  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

themselves  with  preaching  in  the  parish,  but  the  town  refused  to 
grant  their  request. 

In  December,  177'.b  the  church  and  town  united  in  inviting  Mr. 
Jeremiah  Barnard  to  become  their  minister,  whereupon  thirty-two 
residents  of  the  northwest  part  of  the  town  filed  a  protest  setting  forth 
"That  having  repeatedly  petitioned  to  be  set  off  as  a  distinct  parish, 
and  their  petitions  having  been  rejected,  they  enter  their  protest 
against  Mr.  Barnard's  being  settled,  or  any  other  minister,  while  they 
remained  in  conjunction  with  the  town  and  their  request  not  granted." 
It  would  seem  that  their  opposition  to  their  ministerial  candidates 
was  almost  wholly  based  on  their  desire  to  be  made  a  distinct  parish. 
Mr.  Barnard,  having  accepted  his  call,  was  ordained  March  3,  17«0, 
prior  to  which  a  lengthy  and  earnest  remonstrance  was  addressed  to 
the  ordaining  council,  by  thirty-seven  residents  of  what  is  now  Mont 
Vernon,  and  a  few  others. 

Another  committee  was  appointed  by  the  town  September  11, 
1780,  to  show  cause  before  the  General  Court  why  the  prayer  of  a 
number  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  residing  in  the  northwesterly 
part  of  the  same,  asking  to  be  set  off  as  a  separate  parish,  should  not 
be  granted.  But  the  people  of  this  part  of  the  town  insisted  upon 
having  a  ministry  of  their  own  selection,  and  in  September,  1780, 
called  a  council,  which  organized  here,  what  was  called  the  Second 
Church  of  Amherst.  No  records  of  these  transactions,  or  of  the 
church  for  the  first  thirteen  years  exist,  but  it  is  known  that  the  first 
deacons  were  Oliver  Carlton.  Nathaniel Heywood,  and  Richard  Ward, 
all  men  of  sound  orthodoxy  and  fervid  piety. 

Immediately  after  the  organization  of  the  church,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Coggin,  of  Chelmsford,  Massachusetts,  preached  to  a  large  congrega- 
tion in  Major  Cole's  barn  on  the  Capt.  Kittredge  place,  in  the  south 
part  of  what  is  now  Mont  Vernon,  upon  the  importance  of  immediately 
erecting  a  house  of  worship.  This,  in  the  poverty  of  those  Revolu- 
tionary times,  was  no  slight  undertaking:  but  in  the  month  of  April, 
following,  each  farm  in  the  community  had  contributed  its  free-will 
offering  of  timber  for  the  frame  and  covering  of  the  edifice,  which  still 
stands  on  the  summit  of  the  hill,  a  monument  to  those  brave  christian 
men.  It  is  related  that  the  heaviest  timber  was  drawn  upon  the 
snow-crust  the  last  of  April,  without  obstruction  from  walls  or 
fences. 

Lieut.  .lames  Woodbury  gave  the  land  where  the  church,  now 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  7 

converted  into  a  town  house,  stands,  and  also  another  lol  one-fourth 
of  a  mile  above,  for  the  burial  ground. 

So  urgent  was  the  demand  for  the  house,  that  as  soon  us  the 
frame  was  covered,  and  before  the  Moor  timber  was  laid,  it  was  occu- 
pied without  any  formal  dedication.  They  finished  the  house  gradu- 
ally, as  they  were  aide.  The  first  worshipers  here  sat  upon  rough 
benches,  with  a  single  open  floor,  with  nothing  to  warm  them  but  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation.  The  old-fashioned  square  pews  were 
constructed  as  the  families  felt  able,  ••the  pew-ground"  merely  being 
deeded  by  the  parish. 

The  organization  of  a  chinch  and  providing  a  place  of  worship 
were  but  preliminary  to  the  renewal  of  their  effort  to  be  legally  set 
off  into  a  second  parish.  They,  in  March,  1781,  presented  to  the 
General  Court  convened  at  Exeter,  an  extensive  petition,  setting  forth 
their  reasons  in  asking  for  a  separation. 

"To  the  Hon'ble  the  Council  &  Gents  of  the  Hon'ble  House  of  Rep- 
resentative in  General  Assembly  Convened  at  Exeter  in  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire,  March  11,  17-si  : 

"The  humble  petitions  of  the  several  persons  whose  names  are 
hereto  set  and  subscribed.  Inhabitants  of  Amherst  in  the  County  of 
Hillsborough,  living  chiefly  in  the  northwest  part  of  said  town. 
Sheweth  that  the  Rev.  Daniel  Wilkins,  the  former  minister  of  Am- 
herst, Being  by  Age  and  Infirmities  Rendered  incapable  of  Duty,  the 
Town  chose  a  committee  to  hire  preaching  until  another  minister 
should  be  ordained.  By  which  means  the  Reverend  Mr.  Jeremiah 
Barnard  was  introduced  into  the  church  there  only  by  Way  of  Supply, 
the  town  not  being  in  a  proper  situation  for  settling  a  minister. 
However,  the  s'd  Mr.  Barnard  officiated  there  sometime.  That  your 
petitioners  for  Reasons  hereafter  mentioned.  Could  by  no  Means 
Rest  Satisfied  under  his  Ministry  and  openly  disapproved  of  him. 
Notwithstanding  which  a  party  was  form'd  in  favor  of  s'd  Barnard, 
which  party  taking  advantage  of  Calling  Church  and  Town  Meetings, 
when  the  severity  of  the  season  was  such,  and  times  when  such  an 
abundance  of  snow  had  fallen  that  it  was  extremely  Difficult  if  not 
morally  impossible  to  have  a  general  attendance  of  the  town's  inhabi- 
tants, it  was  carried  by  a  very  small  majority,  to  give  the  s'd  Mr. 
Barnard  a  call.  An  Ecclesiastical  Council  was  convened  at  Amherst 
on  the  first  day  of  March.  17*0.  for  the  purpose  of  ordaining  him. 
That  although  your  petitioners  were  convinced  to  their  great  Grief 
and  Sorrow  (by  being  out  voted)  that  they  were  not  the  greatest  part 
of  the  inhabitants  of  said  Town,  yet  being  Conscious  of  their  weight 
and  Importance  (as  paying  a  greater  part  of  the  Taxes  than  those 
that  voted  in  favor  of  Mr.  Barnard's  settling)  they  did  think  themselves 
aggrieved  in  having  the  s'd  Mr.  Barnard  tmp<>sr<l  upon  them  in  that 
unfair  manner  ;  and  they  did,  previous  to  the  s'd  ordination,  sign  and 


8  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

address  a  Memorial  and  Remonstrance,  Couched  in  the  strongest  but 
most  modest  Terms,  to  the  s'd  Council,  setting  forth  among  other 
things  that  with  Regard  to  Mr.  Barnard,  they  must  say  that  he  was 
not  a  man  of  their  choice,  that  he  was  not  the  man  they  should  choose 
for  their  Spiritual  Guide,  for  their  Instructor  in  the  Great  and  Deep 
Mysteries  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  his,  the  s'd  Mr. 
Barnard's,  discourses — however  Doctrinally  sound  they  mightbe — did 
not  appear  to  be  delivered  in  the  demonstration  of  the  spirit,  and 
with  that  life,  power,  and  energy  which  they  could  wish  for,  nor  yet 
with  that  clearness  and  perspicuity  which  they  thought  they  had  a 
right  to  expect  from  a  man  thoroughly  furnished  to  every  good  work, 
and  from  one  who  might  come  to  them  in  the  fulness  of  the  blessings 
of  the  Gospel  of  Peace. 

"And  in  conclusion,  hoping  that  the  bare  sight  of  such  a  number 
of  names  as  would  be  annexed  to  s'd  memorial  might  be  sufficient  to 
convince  Mr.  Barnard  that  he  ought  not  to  think  of  settling  where 
there  was  so  little  prospect  of  his  being  Beneficial  to  the  people  and 
comfortable  to  himself.  And  praying  the  Venerable  Council  that  the 
said  Mr.  Barnard  might  not  be  ordained,  — to  which  Memorial  your 
Petitioners  pray  leave  to  refer  themselves,  and  that  it  may  be  taken 
as  part  of  this  petition.  That  notwithstanding  there  are  some  few  of 
your  petitioners  who  did  not  sign  said  memorial,  yet  did  they  oppose 
Mr.  Barnard's  being  settled  as  their  minister,  and  did  in  the  strongest 
(though)  modest  terms  manifest  to  the  said  Council  their  disappro- 
bation of  the  said  Mr.  Barnard's  being  ordained  as  a  minister  of  the 
Church  and  People  of  this  town. 

"That  notwithstanding  the  said  Memorial  and  Remonstrance,  the 
Council  thought  fit  to  ordain,  and  did  accordingly  ordain  the  said  Mr. 
Barnard.  In  consequence  Avhereof  for  the  reasons  aforesaid,  and 
also  because  the  said  Mr.  Barnard  and  his  party  carry  the  Advantage 
they  have  gained  in  manner  as  before  set  forth,  with  a  high  hand, 
your  Petitioners  cannot  in  conscience  resort  to  the  now  place  of  Public 
Worship  in  Amherst,  nor  can  they  join  in  prayer,  nor  in  communi- 
cation with  the  said  Mr.  Barnard,  nor  reap  any  benefit  from  his 
discourses,  so  that  they  wholly  absent  themselves  and  may  be  said  to 
be  without  any  settled  minister.  Moreover,  under  all  these  difficulties 
and  hardships  which  they  labor  under,  your  Petitioners  are  liable  to 
be  rated  with  their  equal  proportion  of  rates  toward  the  support  of 
the  said  Mr.  Barnard,  and  as  under  the  foregoing  circumstances  your 
Petitioners  think  hard  of  paying  them ;  it  seems  to  open  a  door  of 
Contention  and  Lawsuit,  which  they  would  avoid. 

"That  your  humble  petitioners  in  Expectation  of  Being  sett  off 
as  a  separate  parish,  did  some  time  ago  at  their  own  proper  charge, 
build  a  commodious  Meeting-IIouse  at  the  said  northwest  part  of  said 
Amherst,  and  have  hired  preaching  for  some  time  past,  hoping  at  the 
same  time  to  have  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  a  minister  of  their  own 
choosing,  our  local  situation  being  such  as   required  the  same.     But 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  it 

that  not  being'  granted  by  the  then  Hon'ble  Assembly,  your  Petitioners 
now  have  recourse  to  your  Honors,  praying  thai  you  should  take  their 
most  unhappy  cases  into  your  Serious  Consideration,  and  that  they 
may  be  at  liberty  to  bring  in  a  lull  whereby  they  may  be  severed  from 
the  said  New  Meeting-House  and  Minister,  and  from  any  future  min- 
ister there,  and  from  paying  any  rates  for  the  repairs  of  the  said 
meeting-house,  or  support  of  the  new  minister  of  the  same,  and  Hint 
your  Petitioners  may  be  invested  with  the  power  of  assessing,  levying, 
and  raising  money  for  keeping  their  said  meeting-house  in  Repair, 
when  the  same  shall  be  in  want  thereof,  and  for  settling  and  con- 
stantly maintaining  a  Gospel  Ministry  in  said  Northwest  Meeting- 
House,  and  that  it  may  and  shall  be  lawful  for  any  now  minor  children 
or  servants  of  your  Pet'rs,  as  soon  as  they  shall  come  of  age,  to  poll 
off,  if  they  see  tit,  and  join  such  future  Minister  or  Ministers  of  the 
Gospel  at  the  said  Northwest  Meeting-House,  and  may  be  in  like 
manner  declared  Independent  of  said  Mr.  Barnard's  Meeting-House, 
and  separate  therefrom,  &  from  all  rates  whatsoever  incident  to  the 
support  of  that  meeting-house  or  minister,  provided  that  such  child 
or  children,  servant  or  servants,  so  coming  of  age  do  signifiy  to  the 
Town  Cl'k  of  Amherst  in  writing  his,  her,  or  their  desire  of  joining 
and  becoming  members  of  the  said  Society  of  the  Northwest  Parish, 
or  that  your  Hon's  will  grant  your  Pet'rs  Relief  in  such  other  manner 
as  you  in  your  great  wisdom  shall  deem  most  meet.  And  your  Peti- 
tioners, as  in  duty  bound,  will  ever  pray." 

This  was  signed  by  John  Averill  and  fifty-one  others.  With 
the  foregoing  petition  we  have  the  following  record  : 

"State  ok  New  Hampshire. 

"In  the  House  of  Representatives,  June  20,1781.  Upon  read- 
ing and  considering  the  foregoing  petition  :  Voted  that  the  prayer 
thereof  be  granted,  and  that  the  Petitioners  have  leave  t*>  bring  in  a 
bill  accordingly. 

'•Sent  up  for  Concurrence. 

"John  Langdon,  Speaker. 

"In  Council  June  21,  1781.     Read  and  Concurred. 

"E.  Thompson,  Sec'y." 

The  act  for  the  incorporation  of  the  Second  or  Northwest  Parish 
is  as  follows  : 

"State  ok  New  Hampshire. 

"In  the  year  of  our  Lord   one  thousand   seven   hundred   and  eighty- 
one. 
"An  act  to  enable  sundry  inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Amherst   to 


10  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

erect  a  new  parish  in  the  northwest  part  of  said  town  for  trans- 
acting ministerial  affairs  only. 

"Whereas  sundry  inhabitants  of  Amherst  in  the  county  of 
Hillsborough  have  petitioned  the  General  Assembly,  setting  forth 
(among  other  things)  that  in  humble  expectation  of  being  sett  off 
from  the  Society  and  Meeting-House  whereof  the  Rev.  Jeremiah 
Barnard  is  now  minister  in  said  town,  they  had  at  their  own  proper 
charge  built  a  commodious  meeting-house  in  the  northwest  part  of 
said  town,  and  hired  preaching  for  some  time  past  and  praying  tha; 
they  might  be  severed  from  said  Mr.  Barnard's  church  in  future  by  an 
especial  act,  and  be  exempt  in  future  from  paying  any  rates  towards 
the  repairs  of  the  said  Mr.  Barnard's  meeting-house,  or  the  support 
of  him  or  any  future  minister  of  the  same,  upon  which  petition,  the 
Agents  of  said  town  having  been  heard  and  the  prayer  appearing 
reasonable.  Therefore  be  it  enacted  and  it  is  hereby  in  Council  and 
House  of  Representatives  in  general  assembly  convened  and  by  the 
authority  of  the  same  petition  above  referred  to,  viz.  :  Nathaniel 
Heywood,  Oliver  Carlton,  Amos  Stickney,  .John  Cole,  John  Mills,  Jo- 
seph Farnum.  Daniel  Wilkins,  .Joseph  Langdell,  Josiah  Dodge,  William 
Lamson,  Abijah  Wilkins.  .lames  Smith,  Jacob  Smith,  John  Averill, 
Joseph  Lovejoy,  Nathan  Jones,  Joshua  and  Eli  Elkins,  Joseph  Tuck, 
Timothy  Smith,  jr.,  Nathan  and  Nathan  Flint,  jr.,  Daniel  Simonds, 
Peter  Woodbury,  William  Bradford,  jr.,  Daniel  Smith,  Isaac  Smith, 
Samuel  Winchester,  Andrew  Leavitt,  Knight  Nichols,  James  Wood- 
bury, Thomas  Carlton,  Joseph  Perkins,  Joseph  Duncklee,  John 
Duncklee,  Allen  Goodrich,  Richard  Gould,  Thomas  Town,  jr.,  Nathan 
Cole,  Richard  Ward,  Jeremiah  Burnham,  Samuel  Sterns,  John  Har- 
wood,  Enos  Upton,  Ezekiel  Upton,  Hannah  Peabody,  Win.  Wilkins, 
James  Hopkins,  Daniel  Gould,  Robert  Parker,  Joseph  Steel,  and 
Timothy  Smith  be  and  they  hereby  are  separated,  exonerated,  and 
discharged  from  paying  any  taxes  towards  the  support  of  the  Gospel 
Ministry  and  Public  worship,  in  said  town  of  Amherst,  from  and 
hereafter  the  day  of  the  date  hereof  excepting  in  the  Parish  hereby 
erected,  together  with  all  the  polls  belonging  to  their  respective  fami- 
lies, and  all  the  estates  which  they  do  now  or  shall  hereafter  own, 
being  in  said  town,  and  the  said  persons,  polls  and  estates  be  and 
they  hereby  are  erected  and  incorporated  into  a  new  parish,  and  in- 
vested with  the  privileges  and  authorities  of  a  parish,  separate  and 
distinct  from  the  other  parts  of  said  town,  and  the  parishioners  of 
the  said  new  parish  are  hereby  enabled  to  raise  money  as  there  shall 
be  occasion,  on  the  polls  and  estates  thereto  belonging  for  the  main- 
tenance of  the  Minister  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  repairs  of  their 
meeting-house  when  necessary,  and  the  support  of  Public  Worship 
amongst  themselves,  and  assess  any  necessary  taxes  on  the  said  polls 
and  estates  for  that  end,  and  to  levy  and  collect  the  same  in  the  same 
manner  that  town  taxes  are  levied  and  collected,  and  for  that  purpose 
to  choose  any  number  of  suitable  persons  belonging  to  said  parish  in 
the  month  of  March  annually,  for  assessors  or  a  collector  or  collectors 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  11 

thereof,  who  shall  have  the  same  power  to  levy  and  collect  such  taxes, 
and  in  default  of  the  due  discharge  of  said  office  to  be  subject  to  the 

same  pains  and  penalties  as  the  constables  of  Towns  in  this  slate 
are  liable  by  law,  and  also  choose  any  other  persons  to  such  offices 
and  trusts  as  the  said  parishioners  shall  judge  proper,  and  they  are 
hereby  authorized  to  act  accordingly. 

'"And  be  it  further  enacted  that  any  minor  children  of  said  pa- 
rishioners, any  persons  who  may  hereafter  come  and  settle  in  said 
town  and  inhabit  the  town,  and  their  minor  children,  who  shall  in 
time  to  come  be  desirous  of  belonging  to  the  new  perish,  who  shall 
within  six  months  after  such  new  settler  coming  into  said  town,  and 
after  such  minor  children  attaining  the  age  of  21  years  giving  their 
names  and  signifying  their  desire  and  design  in  writing  to  the  clerk 
of  said  town,  for  the  time  being,  which  being  done,  such  future  settlers 
and  minors  shall  be  entitled  to  every  privilege  in  this  act  with  said 
parishioners,  otherwise  to  be  precluded  therefrom,  and  the  parishioners 
of  the  said  new  parish  are  hereby  authorized  to  meet  and  to  choose 
all  necessary  officers  for  the  service  of  said  parish  for  the  current 
year,  and  until  their  next  meeting  in  March  next,  and  at  any  time  in 
the  month  of  .Inly  next,  and  Nathaniel  Heywood  is  authorized  to  call 
the  same.  Provided  nevertheless  that  nothing  in  this  act  shall  be 
construed  to  exempt  any  of  said  parishioners,  their  polls  or  estates, 
from  paying  their  just  proportion  of  all  ministerial  charges  arising  in 
said  town  of  Amherst,  nor  from  the  future  support  of  Rev.  Daniel 
AVilkins,  the  late  minister  of  said  town,  and  now  living  according  to 
contract." 

"State  of  New  Hampshire. 

"In  the  House  of  Representatives,  dune  28th,  1781. 
"The  foregoing  bill  having  been  read  a  third  time.      Voted  that 
it  pass  to  be  enacted. 

"Sent  up  for  Concurrence. 

"John  Langdon,  Speaker." 

"in  Council,  June  30th,  1781.  This  bill  was  read  a  third  time 
and  voted  it  should  be  enacted.  M.  Weare,  president.  Copy  ex- 
amined by  E.  Thompson,  Sec'y." 

Of  the  names  found  in  the  act  of  incorporation,  some  are  inter- 
esting as  being  the  progenitors  of  present  active  residents  of  at  least 
the  fourth  generation. 

"State  ok  New  Hampshire. 
"Hillsborough,  ss.  duly  11,  17.S1. 

"To  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Second  Parish  in  Amherst,  Greeting: 

"Whereas  the  Honorable  Council  and  House  of  Representatives 


12  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

of  this  state  have  ordered, — That  the  inhabitants  of  this  parish  should 
meet  some  time  in  this  month  to  choose  parish  officers,  and  have  au- 
thorized me  to  call  said  meeting  ;  therefore  I,  the  subscriber,  by  virtue 
of  said  authority,  hereby  warn  all  the  freeholders  and  other  inhabi- 
tants belonging  to  the  said  second  parish  of  Amherst  who  are  qualified 
to  act  in  such  parish  meetings  to  meet  at  the  meeting-house  in  said 
parish  on  Tuesday,  the  24th  day  of  July,  at  three  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  for  the  following  purposes,  viz.  : 

••1st.     To  choose  a  Moderator  for  said  meeting. 

'•2d.     To  choose  a  parish  clerk  and  other  parish  officers. 

"3d.     To  choose  a  committee  to  hire  preaching  in  said  parish. 

"4th.     To  transact  such  other  business  as  may  appear  needful." 

The  first  parish  meeting  was  held  24th  July,  1 7 S 1 .  Nathaniel 
Heywood  was  chosen  moderator;  Eli  Wilkins,  clerk;  Peter  Woodbury, 
Nathaniel  I  ley  wood,  and  Abijah  Wilkins,  assessors;  James  Wood- 
bury, treasurer;  Nathan  Flint,  collector;  Oliver  Carlton,  Richard 
Gould,  and  Wm.  Bradford  a  committee  to  hire  preaching.  Lieut. 
James  Woodbury,  Ensign  Thomas  Stickney,  and  Abijah  Wilkins 
were  chosen  a  committee  to  lay  the  lower  floor  and  sell  the  pew-ground 
in  the  meeting-house  at  public  vendue.  .July  4,  17.S2.  It  was  voted 
to  hire  preachers  on  probation  "and  that  the  committee  apply  to  such 
gentlemen  to  preach  as  they  think  proper."  August  29,  1782.  Voted 
to  hire  Mr.  Powers  to  preach  in  said  parish.  At  the  same  meeting  a 
proposition  to  unite  with  the  Southwest  Parish  in  hiring  preaching  at 
Mr.  Abner  Hutchinson's  was  rejected. 

.January  13,  1783.  John  Mills,  moderator.  Voted  to  hire  Mr. 
Allen  to  preach  four  Sundays  if  his  services  can  be  procured. 

March  4,  1 7 s : > .  At  the  annual  meeting  chose  Peter  Woodbury, 
Nathaniel  Heywood,  Abijah  Wilkins  assessors,  Richard  Gould,  Tim- 
othy Smith,  Richard  Ward  a  committee  to  hire  preaching.  Voted 
£50  to  defray  parish  expenses. 

September  9,  1 7<s:i.  ('apt.  .1.  Mills,  moderator.  Voted  not  to 
hire  Mr.  Allen  any  longer.  Voted  not  to  send  to  Dartmouth  College 
for  a  preacher. 

December^,  17<s:>.  Voted  to  concur  with  the  church  in  giving 
Mr.  Samuel  Sargent  a  call  to  settle  in  the  gospel  ministry  in  said 
paiish.  The  effort  to  settle  Mr.  Sargent  failed,  for  on  the  29th  of 
December,  17*4.  they  voted  to  concur  with  the  church  in  giving  Mr. 
.John  Bruce  a  call  to  settle  in  the  gospel  ministry  of  this  parish. 
Voted  to  give  Mi'.  Bruce  £120  lawful  money  as  a  settlement  and  £60 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  13 

lawful  money  and  twenty  cords  of  wood  yearly  as  Long  as  lie  supplies 
the  pulpit,  and  £30  and  20  cords  of  wood  during  Life,  alter  lie  had 
ceased  to  supply  the  pulpit.  Voted  Nath'l  Heywood,  Dea.  Oliver 
Carlton,  and  Lieut.  Win.  Bradford  a  committee  to  treat  with  him 
relative  to  his  settlement.  Voted  Capt.  John  Mills,  Joseph  Laugdell, 
Daniel  Smith  to  be  a  committee  to  take  a  deed  from  Lieut.  Wood- 
bury of  the  ground  on  which  the  meeting-house  stands.  Mr.  Bruce 
accepted  the  call  after  some  delay,  and  was  ordained  the  3d  of 
November,  17H5.  He  continued  pastor  of  the  parish  and  town  until 
his  death,  which  took  place  the  12th  of  March.  1809. 

An  act  defining  the  boundaries  of  the  Second  Parish  in  Amherst 
was  passed  by  the  legislature  the  24th  of  January,  1789. 

January  7,  1790.  The  First  Parish  having  petitioned  for  the  re- 
peal of  the  act  establishing  the  boundaries  of  the  Second  Parish, 
William  Lamson,  Henry  Campbell,  Capt.  William  Bradford  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  appear  before  the  General  Court  and  show 
cause  why  the  prayer  of  this  petition  should  not  be  granted. 

June  4,  1790,  Capt.  William  Bradford  and  Henry  Campbell  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  go  to  Concord  to  hear  the  report  of  a  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  General  Court  respecting  the  alteration  of 
the  boundary  bines  between  Mr.  Bruce's  and  Mr.  Barnard's  parishes. 

April  26,  1790.  The  meeting-house  still  remaining  unfinished, 
the  parish  chose  a  committee  to  finish  the  same,  as  was  voted,  the 
committee  to  return  any  overplus  that  might  arise  from  the  sale  of 
the  pews  to  the  treasurer. 

October  15,  171)0.  Voted  that  the  committee  for  the  time  being 
furnish  the  ministerial  pew  on  the  spot  reserved  for  that  purpose. 

January  25,  1791.  Another  act  establishing  the  boundaries  of 
the  Second  parish  was  passed  by  the  legislature,  changing  them 
somewhat  from  those  fixed  by  the  former  act. 

March  21,  1791.  Voted  to  accept  a  strip  of  land  lying  in  the 
easterly  part  of  Lyndeborough,  with  the  inhabitants  living  thereon, 
as  a  part  of  the  parish,  provided  the  consent  of  Lyndeborough  is 
obtained. 

1792.     Voted  J.  Mills  9  shillings  for  sweeping  the  meeting-house. 

March,  1792.  Dea.  Oliver  Carlton  and  others  chosen  a  com- 
mittee to  complete  the  meeting-house  were  instructed  to  finish  the 
whole  of  the  joiner  work  inside,  not  already  let  out. 

May  24,  1792.  Eli  Wilkins  being  the  only  Justice  of  the  Peace 
in  the  Northwest  parish,  at* a  town  meeting  on  that  date  it  was  voted 


14  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

that  "John  Conant,  of  Beverly,  Massachusetts  Bay,  is  a  person  most 
suitable  to  be  recommended"  for  a  commission  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace. 

May  25,  1792.  Voted  to  build  a  wall  by  the  highway  against 
the  burying-ground.  Voted  that  the  bass-viol  be  not  carried  into  the 
meeting-house  in  time  of  exercise.  Voted  that  £6  be  paid  to  the 
minister,  instead  of  20  cords  of  wood,  annually,  "if  he  agrees  to 
accept  the  change."  Andrew  Leavitt  built  the  graveyard  gate,  and 
John  Mills  made  the  hinges  and  bolts. 

October  25,  1792.  It  was  voted  to  allow  the  bill  of  the  •com- 
mittee for  building  the  gate  in  front  of  the  burying-ground  amounting 
to  £4.  19s.  5d. 

Voted  to  build  another  piece  of  wall  by  the  side  of  the  burying- 
ground. 

March  1<S,  1793.  Voted  a  pew  in  the  gallery  of  the  meeting- 
house to  the  use  of  the  singers. 

March  12,  1794.  Voted  Capt.  Mills  12  shillings  for  sweeping 
the  meeting-house  4  times,  and  caring  for  the  same  1  year. 

March  21,  1796.  An  article  having  been  inserted  in  the  warrant 
calling  the  meeting  holden  this  day.  asking  for  the  consent  of  the 
parish  that  the  bass-viol  be  used  in  the  meeting-house  on  Sunday  to 
assist  the  singers  in  time  of  public  worship,  failed  of  approval.  Eben 
Fisk  was  sexton,  and  Dea.  -I.  Carlton,  parish  clerk,  1799-1804. 


CHAPTER  II. 


CONDITIONS  PRELIMINARY  TO  THE  SEPARA- 
TION FROM  THE  PARENT  TOWN. 

Public  Events — Loyalists — Sketch  of  Joshua  Atherton — Sketch 
of  Charles  II.  Atherton — Sketch  ok  Charles  G.  Atherton — 
Sketch  of  Samuel  Dana — Rev.  Jeremiah  Barnard — Loyal- 
ists' Influence  in  Politics — Troublous  Times  in  the  Country 
— Establishment  of  Constitution— Mr.  Atherton's  Objection 
to  Constitution — Organization  of  Third  or  Southwest  Parish 
Incorporation  of  Milfokd — Dissension  Between  Pa  wishes — 
Petition  of  Eirst  Parish — Political  Parties — Extract  from 
a  Town  Meeting — Or  a  Touch  at  the  Times  at  A  t — 

Meeting  Between  Bkadfokd  and  Author  ok  Poem — Feeling 
Between  Eirst  and  Second  Parishes — Sketch  ok  Major 
William  Bradford — Sketch  of  Dr.  Rogers  Smith. 

A  GLANCE  at  public  events  of  this  period,  and  their  effect  in 
influencing  local  conditions,  so  as  to  require  for  the  peace  and  order 
of  both  communities  a  complete  severance  of  all  corporate  interests, 
will  give  to  those  interested  a  clear  idea  of  the  influence  of  the  various 
causes  which  converted  the  northwest  parish  of  Amherst  into  the 
town  of  Mont  Vernon. 

For  several  years  prior  to  the  War  for  Independence,  and  even 
after  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities,  while  the  majority  of  the  colonists 
were  bitterly  hostile  to  King  George  and  his  ministry,  and  legarded 
his  policy  as  so  unjust  and  tyrannical  as  to  justify  revolt,  and  yet 
hoped  for  a  reconciliation  with  the  mother  country,  there  was  yet  a 
considerable  minority  loyal  to  the  royal  government.  They'  believed 
the  attempt  at  independence  would  not  succeed,  that  it  was  madness  ; 
that  the  trained  troops  sent  over  by  the  King  would  overpower  the 
raw  militia,  and  the  result  would  be  the  ruin  of  the  colonies.  They 
were  generally  rich  and  prosperous,  of  aristocratic  tendencies,  but 
mostly  men  of  moral  worth.      These   loyalists   were  vulgarly  called 


16  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

tories,  and  were  in  excessive  odium  among  the  patriots.  Many  of 
them  who  did  not  flee,  acquiesced  in  the  order  of  things,  but  it  was 
conformity  without  change  of  opinion.  Those  who  were  most  un- 
compromising were  exiles  and  their  property  was  seized  and  confiscated 
during  the  war.  The  provinces  of  New  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia 
were  their  refuge,  and  among  the  valuable  citizens  of  those  provinces 
today  are  many  descendants  from  the  tory  refugees  of  the  United 
States..  John  Holland,  a  rank  tory,  nephew  of  Joshua  Atherton,  of 
Amherst,  was  seized  and  banished  to  New  Brunswick,  where  he  died. 

When  (ien.  (rage  evacuated  Boston,  in  March,  1776,  twelve 
hundred  American  loyalists  went  with  him  to  Halifax,  but  few  of 
whom  returned.  Prophetic  were  the  words  of  the  brave  Dr.  Warren 
who  fell  at  Bunker  Hill :  "The  contest  may  be  severe,  but  the  end 
will  be  glorious." 

Joshua  Atherton  was  at  this  time  easily,  in  reputation,  ability, 
and  influence,  the  first  man  in  Amherst.  Born  in  Lancaster,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1737,  after  graduating  at  Harvard,  he  studied  law  and 
practised  six  years  in  Merrimack.  In  the  summer  of  1773  he  moved 
from  Merrimack  to  Amherst,  and  being  an  able  lawyer,  was  soon 
busily  employed  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  As  the  dispute 
between  the  mother  country  and  her  American  colonies  increased  in 
bitterness,  he,  being  an  open  and  avowed  loyalist,  became  exceedingly 
unpopular. 

September  20,  1771  some  three  hundred  men  from  Bedford. 
Amherst,  and  vicinity,  assembled  at  Amherst  and  chose  a  committee 
to  wait  upon  Mr.  Atherton  and  request  him  to  come  to  the  court- 
house, which  he  did,  and  sign  a  declaration  and  read  it  to  the  people, 
who  accepted  it.  Notwithstanding  this  declaration,  the  persecution 
continued,  but  he  was  not  cured  ol  his  loyalty. 

In  1776  he  refused  to  sign  the  Association  Test  Paper  when  it 
was  presented  to  him.  Finally  he  was  arrested  and  placed  in  Exeter 
jail  kas  a  person  at  large  whose  presence  would  he  dangerous  to  the 
liberties  of  the  country."  lie  was  afterwards  transferred  from  Exeter 
to  Amherst  jail.  He  was  ultimately  liberated  in  June,  1778.  At  the 
January  term  of  court,  177!»,  he  to.)k  the  oath  of  allegiance  and 
attorney's  oath,  and  was  again  admitted  to  practice.  The  good  will 
of  his  fellow  citizens  began  to  return  to  him,  aid  his  business  became 
lucrative.  He  was  a  warm  friend  of  Mr.  Barnard,  and  took  an  active 
part  in  his  ordination  in  1780.  During  the  rest  of  his  life  he  was 
Senator  in  the  state  legislature,  and  attorney-general  of  the  state. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  17 

Many  young  men,  afterwards  distinguished,  resorted  to  his  office  for 
instruction  in  their  chosen  profession.     He  died  in  1809. 

The  name  of  Atherton  among  his  descendants  is  now  extinct. 
But  among  the  Atherton  female  branch,  those  bearing  the  name  of 
Spaulding,  Gordon,  Means,  Bigelow,  and  others  have  achieved  honor- 
able distinction. 

His  son,  Charles  Humphrey  Atherton,  born  August,  1773,  died 
January,  1853,  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  most  prominent 
lawyer,  of  Hillsborough  county,  and  as  a  probate  lawyer  had  no 
superior  in  the  state. 

He  was  a  high-toned  Federalist,  and  in  religious  belief  a  Unitarian 
of  the  Channing  type.  He  was  Register  of  Probate  three  years,  also 
representative  three  years,  and  many  years  on  the  superintending 
school  committee.  He  had  a  great  interest  in  historical  and  genealog- 
ical researches,  and  was  a  Master  Mason.  By  close  attention  to 
money  matters,  he  accumulated  one  of  the  largest  estates  ever  left  in 
Amherst. 

His  son,  Hon.  Charles  Gordon  Atherton,  graduated  at  Harvard 
in  1822,  and  in  1825  entered  upon  the  practice  of  law  at  Nashua,  New 
Hampshire.  He  early  engaged  in  politics,  and  being  ambitious, 
identified  himself  with  the  Democratic,  then  the  ruling  party  in  the 
state,  and  likely  to  remain  so  for  many  years.  He  was  five  years  rep- 
resentative in  the  state  legislature,  and  four  years  speaker  of  the 
House.  Jn  1837  he  took  his  seat  as  a  Representative  in  Congress, 
which  he  held  four  years  December  10,  1838,  he  introduced  into 
Congress  what  was  famous  as  the  "Gag,"  a  rule  which  provided  that 
all  petitions  for  the  abolition  of  slavery  should  be  laid  upon  the  table 
without  further  action.  This  was  in  force  until  1845,  but  this,  like 
all  other  measures  to  stay  the  anti-slavery  agitation,  increased  it.  In 
1843  he  was  elected  United  States  Senator,  and  served  a  full  term 
of  six  years.  In  1853,  through  the  influence  of  the  President-elect, 
Franklin  Pierce,  he  was  again  returned  to  the  Senate,  to  be  the  organ 
in  that  body  for  the  incoming  administration,  but  died  suddenly  while 
attending  court  at  Manchester,  November  14,  1853,  aged  49.  He 
was  a  man  of  acute  and  scholarly  intellect,  a  fluent  and  polished  speak- 
er, and  ranked  high  as  a  counsellor  and  advocate.  In  temperament 
he  was  cold,  distant,  and  aristocratic  in  bearing,  and  won  no  follow- 
ers by  personal  magnetism.  He  married  the  grand-daughter  of  the 
life-long  personal  and  political  friend  of  his  immediate  ancestor,  Rev. 
Jeremiah  Barnard,  by  whom  he  had  no  children. 


18  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Another  of  these  loyalists  active  in  this  community  was  Hon. 
Sam'l  Dana.  He  was  graduated  early  at  Harvard  College,  fitted  for 
the  ministry,  and  was  settled  at  Groton,  Massachusetts,  in  1761,  and 
remained  in  office  until  May,  1775,  when  he  resigned.  Being  a  rank 
tory,  the  affections  of  a  larger  part  of  his  people  had  been  diverted 
from  him  by  the  course  he  pursued  during  the  Revolution.  In  1780 
he  became  a  law  student  at  the  office  of  his  friend,  Joshua  Atherton. 
In  the  spring  of  1781  he  purchased  a  small  tenement  of  Mr.  Atherton 
and  moved  his  family  from  Groton  to  Amherst.  In  the  autumn 
following  he  was  admitted  to  practice  as  an  attorney,  and  soon  acquired 
a  large  business.  In  1782  he  purchased  a  farm  and  buildings  at  the 
west  end  of  the  plain,  and  built  the  mansion  that  was  afterwards  for 
many  years  the  homestead  of  Dr.  Matthias  Spalding,  where  he  died 
April,  1798. 

During  his  residence  in  Amherst,  he  was  successively  Register 
and  Judge  of  Probate,  and  a  member  of  the  state  Senate.  He  was 
the  father  of  Benevolent  Lodge  of  Amherst,  and  was  its  first  Grand 
Master.  In  1826  this  institution  was  removed  to  Milford,  where  it 
now  flourishes.  His  religion  was  liberal  (Unitarian),  and  he  was  a 
close  friend  and  supporter  of  Rev.  Mr.  Barnard.  He  exhibited  talents 
as  a  lawyer  above  mediocrity.  His  daughter  Mehitable  married 
Sam'l  Bell  in  1807,  and  became  the  mother  of  Chief  Justice  Samuel 
Dana  Bell  of  New  Hampshire,  and  James  Bell,  United  States  Senator. 
A  son  of  Samuel  Dana  Bell  was  Samuel  N.  Bell,  a  representative  in 
Congress,  who  in  1874  declined  the  offer  of  appointment  as  Chief  Jus- 
tice tendered  him  by  Gov.  James  A.  Weston. 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Barnard  settled  in  1780  in  Amherst,  and  died 
January  15,  1835,  on  his  farm  on  Christian  Hill.  Amherst,  aged  85. 
He  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  abilities.  His  lot  was  cast  in  a 
stormy  time,  as  religious  and  political  divisions  prevailed  in  the  parish 
for  the  first  thirty-five  years  of  his  ministry.  But  his  will  and  energy 
enabled  him  to  breast  the  storm,  when  a  man  of  more  peaceable  and 
quiet  disposition  would  have  been  overcome  by  the  contending  factions. 
Of  religious  differences  he  was  very  tolerant,  but  not  so  of  political. 
He  was  warmly  attached  to  the  Federal  school  of  politics,  and  de- 
nounced the  opposition  in  and  out  of  the  pulpit  with  great  zeal.  He 
was  most  emphatically  a  fightiDg  political  parson,  but  his  marked 
social  qualities,  his  general  good  sense,  warm  attachment  to  friends, 
and  kindness  of  heart  enabled  him  to  prosper  through  his  long  min- 
istry.     These  men  of  aristocratic  predilections  and  others  of  like 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  19 

tendencies  largely  controlled  public  sentiment  in  Amherst,  and  their 
influence  at  the  time  of  intense  political  excitement  gave  complexion 
to  the  politics  of  the  citizens  of  what  is  now  the  town  of  Amherst. 

The  sketches  of  the  lives  of  these  men  do  not  bear  directly  upon 
th1  history  of  Mont  Vernon,  but  they  had  important  and  indirect 
influence  in  shaping  opinions  and  events,  which  led  to  a  final  separa- 
tion. 

The  War  for  Independence  had  closed.  But  the  whole  country 
was  in  a  most  unsatisfactory  condition.  The  colonies  were  very  poor. 
A  period  of  distress  and  depression  prevailed,  sharper  than  at  any 
crisis  of  the  Revolutionary  struggle.  Their  money  had  so  declined 
in  value  that  it  took  one  .hundred  paper  dollars  to  buy  a  pair  of  shoes. 

The  government  of  the  League  of  Confederation  was  weak  and 
inefficient.  The  people  were  so  jealous  of  it  that  they  had  hardly 
given  Congress  means  of  action.  It  could  not  raise  money  by  taxes 
or  establish  rates  of  duties  on  foreign  goods  imported,  nor  compel 
obedience  to  any  law.  It  was  so  loose  and  feeble  that  treaties  with 
foreign  countries  were  impossible.  Washington  said:  "We  are  one 
nation  today  and  thirteen  tomorrow."  The  people  were  heavily  in 
debt.  Public  and  private  credit  was  destroyed.  A  rebellion  broke 
dotiin  Massachusetts,  called  "Shay's  Rebellion,"  composed  of  men 
who  thought  that  all  taxes  and  debts  should  be  suspended  at  such  a 
fcinie.  Complaints  were  rife  that  attorneys  and  officers  of  the  law 
sought  to  advance  their  selfish  interests  to  the  ruin  of  their  fellow- 
ciitizens.  In  the  midst  of  these  troubles,  a  petition  from  fifty  citizens 
ei  Amherst,  and  mostly  of  the  Northwest  Parish,  was  presented  to 
thaiCreneral  Court  in  February,  1783,  asking  for  some  legislation  to 
Relieve  the  situation.  These  financial  troubles  continued  for  some 
jxeKTS1,  but  the  establishment  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  taking  effect 
in  1788,  in  a  large  measure  operated  to  close  them.  In  1787  a  con- 
vention met  in  Philadelphia,  to  form  a  new  constitution,  which,  if 
adopted,  would  insure  a  stronger  government.  After  many  weeks' 
discussion,  September  17,  1787,  the  convention  finally  adopted  what 
iff  substantially  the  present  United  States  Constitution,  and  sent  it  to 
the  thirteen  colonies  for  acceptance. 

In  the  New  Hampshire  State  Convention,  Col.  Ebenezer  Web- 
ster (father  of  Daniel  Webster),  who  was  a  delegate  from  Salisbury, 
did  not  vote  at  all  on  the  question  of  acceptance  or  rejection.  January 
1,  1788,  ten  citizens  of  Amherst  were  chosen  a  committee  to  examine 
this  form  of  government  and   report  their  judgment  upon  it.     They 


20  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

reported  that  they  could  not  recommend  it  to  the  acceptance  of  the 
town  in  its  present  form.  The  only  member  of  the  committee  from 
the  Northwest  parish  was  Rev.  John  Bruce.  Three  others  of  the  ten, 
Messrs.  Atherton,  Dana,  and  Barnard,  were  men  of  liberal  education. 
January  15.  1788,  the  town  chose  Joshua  Atherton  to  represent  it  in 
the  state  convention  to  decide  upon  the  adoption  of  the  present  con- 
stitution. In  that  body  Mr.  Atherton  made  a  very  sensible  and 
feeling  speech  against  Section  IX  Article  I,  of  that  instrument,  which 
tolerated  the  African  slave  trade  for  a  term  of  years.  His  objections 
were  not  heeded,  as  the  constitution  in  its  entirety  was  ratified  at  an 
adjourned  session  held  in  Concord  the  following  June,  though  sixteen 
out  of  the  twenty-five  delegates  from  the  old  county  of  Hillsborough 
voted  against  its  acceptance. 

What  is  now  Mont  Vernon  having  become  the  Second  Parish  in 
Amherst,  forty-seven  residents  of  the  southwest  part  of  the  town 
petitioned  the  General  Court  at  its  session  March  1,  1782,  to  be  set 
off  into  a  third  parish. 

September  9,  1782,  the  first  parish  appointed  Messrs.  Blanchard, 
Dana,  and  Wilkins  to  show  cause  before  the  legislature  why  the 
prayer  of  this  petition  should  not  be  granted.  Their  efforts  were 
unsuccessful,  for  November  23,  1782.  the  General  Court  constituted 
the  petitioners  as  the  Third  or  Southwest  Parish  of  Amherst,  "for 
transacting  ministerial  affairs  only."  Being  thus  severed  from  the 
First  Parish,  they  organized,  January  9,  1783,  and  voted  "to  build  a 
meeting-house  of  the  same  size  and  bigness  as  the  Northwest  Parish 
has  built  except  the  porches."  The  frame  of  this  meeting-house  was 
erected  in  the  summer  of  1784,  but  not  completed  until  eight  years 
afterward.  This  building  for  nearly  half  a  century  was  the  place  of 
worship  for  the  Congregational  church  in  Milford,  and  also  its  town- 
house.  It  was  in  the  center  of  what  is  now  Union  Square,  now  located 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Square,  and  known  as  Eagle  Hall,  which  has 
been  refitted  and  is  used  for  business  purposes. 

In  October,  1793,  at  a  parish  meeting,  it  was  voted  to  petition 
the  General  Court  to  set  them  off  as  a  separate  town  in  connection 
with  the  Mile  Slip  and  Duxbury  School  Farm,  and  a  part  of  Hollis. 
Therefore  January,  1794,  the  town  of  Milford  was  incorporated,  con- 
sisting of  one  hundred  and  forty-two  tax-payers,  and  preceding  the 
organization  of  the  Northwest  Parish  into  Mont  Vernon  just  ten 
years. 

The  dissensions  between  the  different  sections  of  Amherst,  which 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  21 

commenced  with  the  building  of  the  second  meeting-house  in  1771-74, 
and  aggravated  by  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Barnard,  were  in  no  wise 
healed  by  the  division  of  the  town  into  parishes. 

A  lengthy  application,  signed  by  one  hundred  and  twenty  inhabi- 
tants of  the  old  parish,  was  sent  to  the  General  Court  in  February, 
1783,  setting  forth  an  unhappy  state  of  affairs.  This  document  recites 
that  in  May,  1781,  sundry  persons,  whose  names  are  given,  obtained 
an  act  erecting  them  into  a  distinct  parish,  still  leaving  them  to  act 
with  the  town  of  Amherst  in  all  matters,  save  religious,  proper  to 
such  a  corporate  body.  That  whereas  disuniting  in  some  things 
disunites  them  in  other  things.  This  unfortunate  act  had  operated 
to  create  variance  and  discord,  that  their  town  meetings  were  scenes 
of  confusion,  irregularity,  and  vexation,  therefore  they  invoked  the 
General  Court  to  relieve  their  unhappy  situation  and  extricate  them 
from  the  bondage  of  continual  discord  and  party  factions.  They 
specified  the  remedy  they  wished  applied  as  follows:  ''Permit  us  to 
part  with  one  of  them,  and  to  ask  your  Honors  that  the  persons  above 
named,  who  have  chosen  to  be  separated  in  part,  may  be  separated 
from  us  wholly.  Your  Honors  have  ample  powers  to  complete  the 
separation  in  all  matters  whatsoever,  as  we  do  not  wish  to  retain 
them  to  our  mutual  vexation  " 

This  was  aimed  at  the  Northwest  Parish  only.  Though  respectful 
in  form,  it  indirectly  censured  the  action  of  a  previous  legislature,  in 
setting  off  a  fractious  minority  against  the  remonstrance  of  a  majority 
of  the  voters  in  Amherst.  The  legislature  took  no  action  upon  this 
doleful  petition,  but  twenty  years  later  the  desired  relief  came,  to  the 
satisfaction  of  both  communities. 

The  establishment  of  the  Federal  Constitution  divided  the  people 
into  political  parties,  a  division  which  became  more  acute  after  the 
breaking  out  of  the  French  Revolution,  hailed,  with  all  its  terrible 
excesses,  by  one  party  as  a  triumph  of  the  people,  and  regarded  by 
the  other  side  as  the  precedent  of  destruction  of  all  government  among 
men.  Jay's  treaty  with  Great  Britain  during  Washington's  adminis- 
tration was  very  much  opposed  by  the  Republicans,  but  more  odious 
to  them  was  the '-Alien  and  Sedition  Law,"  and  the  "Land  Tax 
Law,"  both  passed  during  the  administration  of  John  Adams,  which 
greatly  intensified  the  divisions  among  the  people. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  March,  1799,  the  selectmen  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  petition  Congress  to  repeal  the  "Alien  and 
Sedition  Law,"  and  to  change  the  mode  of  assessing  and  collecting 


22  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

the  land  tax.  The  selectmen  declined  the  appointment,  whereupon 
Major  William  Bradford,  Eli  Wilkins,  Esq.,  of  the  Second  Parish, 
and  William  Low,  of  the  First  Parish,  all  Republicans,  were  chosen 
as  the  committee.  At  an  adjourned  meeting  the  next  Tuesday,  they 
presented  a  report,  which  the  town  by  a  majority  vote  accepted,  which 
greatly  exasperated  the  Federalists.  The  Northwest  Parish,. being 
almost  entirely  Republican,  voted  almost  unanimously  for  the  report, 
and  this  will  explain  the  following  description  of  the  meeting,  which 
made  its  appearance  in  the  "  Village  Messenger''  of  March,  1799,  and 
which  is  introduced  here  to  show  the  bitterness  prevalent  in  this 
community  at  that  period  : 

"Extract   From    a   Town-Meeting,    Or  a   Touch    of    the    Times   at 
Am t: 

"March  comes,  the  first  born  child  of  Spring; 
The  bells  for  annual  meeting-  ring; 
Joy  smiles  in  every  patriot's  face. 

And  Am t  dreams  not  of  disgrace. 

Forth  from  the  North  in  crowds  came  down 
Old  age,  on  crutch,  and  youth,  half-grown: 
Old  age,  whose  one  foot  in  the  grave  is, 
Whose  other  to  the  gout  a  slave  is; 
And  youth,  not  yet  arrived  at  freedom, 
Who  need  their  nurses  still  to  lead  'em- 
All,  all  came  down,  a  motley  nation, — 
As  tho'  'in  hell  there  were  vacation.' 
Burning  with  Jacobinic  zeal, 
To  overturn  the  public  weal. 
Before  them  stalked  a  man  of  stature, 
Designed  a  Jacobin  by  nature, 
Whose  mind  and  mien  strong  traces  bore 
Of  that  great  Jacobin  of  yore, 
Who,  for  Sedition,  forth  was  driven, 
Eternal  from  the  gates  cf  heaven. 
Despising  peace  and  lawful  labors, 
He  sows  sedition  'mong  his  neighbors; 
Tells  them  that  governments  are  knaves, 
That  they,  poor  souls,  will  soon  be  slaves, 
And  those  that  rule  them  soon  will  stand 
The  lords  and  sovereigns  of  the  land. 
To  church  he  goes,  but  not  for  preaching; 
He  gives  his  precious  time  to  teaching 
That  those  that  dare  not  tell  a  lie 
Have  surely  lost  their  liberty. 
He  at  his  heels  the  rabble  brought, 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  23 

Who  long-  beneath  his  eye  were  taught 
To  banish  order,  stir  up  evil, 
And  serve  their  lord  and  master,  Devil. 
******* 

At  length  the  cause  of  all  their  ills, 
The  Alien  and  Sedition  Bills, 
The  tax  direct  on  land  and  houses, 
Which  every  foe  to  peace  arouses, 
Comes  publickly  to  be  discussed 
By  friend  and  foe,  by  blest  and  cursed. 
A  solemn  pause — debates  proceeded, 
As  though  the  Jacos  some  man  needed — 
Some  natural  son  of  base  sedition, 
To  rise  and  speak  for  their  petition. 
Their  chief  arose.      'Tis  strange,'  he  cries, 
'Since  freedom  is  our  blood-earned  prize, 
That  we,  like  slaves,  should  be  debarred 
The  use  of  speech, — indeed,  that's  hard. 
No  more  shall  scandal  charm  our  souls. 
Since  government  our  tongues  controls 
Aliens  no  more  with  monied  reason 
Shall  stir  up  faction,  death    and  treason; 
But  under    harrows,  saws  and  axes, 
We  be  compelled  to  pay  our  taxes, 
Support  our  Congressmen  in  style, 
By  cruel,  unrewarded  toil, 
Till  we,  at  last,  O,  dreadful  thought! 
Beneath  those  tyrants  shall  be  brought, 
And  see  in  tears  the  fatal  day 
When  we  to  tyrant  laws  gave  way. 
Beware,  my  friends,  'tis  our  condition! 
O,  curse  the  law  against  sedition! 

O,  curse  the  Pres no,  no,  I  fear 

Some  friend  to  government  may  hear, 
And  I  like  friend  and  brother  Lyon,  * 
Be  tried  and  feel  the  power  of  iron. 
O,  Liberty,  'tis  but  a  name, 
When  we  no  longer  can  defame  !" 
Reasons  were  offered  when  he  ended, 
And  government  and  laws  defended; 
But  sense  and  reason  all  are  vain, 
.  When  faction  rules  the  heated  brain; 
For  ignorance,  deceived  by  lies, 
All  human  argument  defies. 
The  question  put,  the  chief  uprose, 

♦Matthew  Lyon  was  at  that  time  a  Republican  member  of  the  National   House  of  Repre- 
sentatives     A  motion  to  expel  him  from  the  House  had  just  failed. 


24  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Surveyed  his  friends,  surveyed  his  foes: 
His  minion  friends  united  stand, 
Instructed  by  his  factious  hand. 
Their  chief  they  watch,  his  actions  view, 
And  when  he  votes,  why    they  vote  too. 
Such  are  Columbia's  servile  foes, 
Led  on,  like  asses,  by  the  nose; 
Seduced  from  order  by  a  villian, 
Whose  honor  is  not  worth  a  shilling', 
Who,  worse  than  Judas  and  such  gents, 
Would  sell  our  State  for  thirty  cents. 
O,  would  he  ape  that  child  of  hell 
In  all  his  actions  'twould  be  well; 
His  neck,  too,  then,  a  rope  would  grace, 
And  he  depart  to  his  own  place. 

Amphion. 

The  Jacobin  who  was  so  offensively  caricatured  and  so  insolently 
abused  was  Major  William  Bradford,  an  active  and  influential  citizen 
of  the  Northwest  Parish,  and  for  the  next  three  years  representative 
from  Amherst.  A  few  days  afterward  he  repaired  to  Amherst,  in- 
tending to  inflict  personal  chastisement  upon  the  writer  of  this  abuse. 
He  demanded  of  the  editor  the  name  of  the  author  and  where  he 
might  be  found,  and  was  pointed  to  a  certain  law  office  and  was  told 
that  he  would  there  find  a  student  who  would  respond  to  his  call. 
Major  Bradford  had  been  through  the  Revolution,  was  a  man  of 
stately  proportions  and  in  the  full  vigor  of  manhood,  and  would  be  a 
formidable  antagonist  in  a  personal  encounter.  He  went  as  directed, 
and  was  presented  to  a  young  man,  in  whom  he  beheld  his  match,  a 
six-footer  of  stalwart  proportions,  a  very  Hercules  in  muscle,  and  he 
deemed  it  discreet  to  retire  without  stating  his  errand  "Amphion" 
was  a  young  Wilton  Federalist,  who  studied  law  and  taught  school  in 
Amherst,  and  in  later  life  was  known  as  the  Hon.  William  Abbott, 
of  Bangor,  Maine. 

The  Northwest  Parish  folks  bore  the  dwellers  on  the  plain  and 
the  lowlands  in  the  neighborhood  no  good-will.  They  called  it  Sodom, 
and  spoke  of  seeing  "the  smoke  of  its  torment  ascending  to  the 
heavens  on  frosty  mornings."  This  was  somewhat  akin  to  the  spirit 
of  one  of  their  number  who,  in  the  days  when  Parson  Barnard  was 
prophesying  against  the  Democracy,  gave  as  a  Fourth  of  July  toast: 
"Amherst: — It  has  a  big  meeting-house  with  a  tall  steeple,  an 
Arminian  preacher,  and  a  cursed  people." 

The  time  was  now  approaching  for  an  entire  separation  from  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  25 

parent  town.  Twenty-three  years  before,  this  had  been  partially  ac- 
complished by  the  formation  of  the  Second  Parish  as  religiously 
independent  of  the  First,  but  this,  we  have  seen,  did  not  tend  to  unity 
of  thought  or  action. 

In  the  party  divisions,  which  distinguished  the  close  of  the  last 
and  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  the  ruling  influences  in 
the  Second  Parish  were  as  decidedly  Republican  or  "Jeffersonian"  as 
were  those  of  the  First  in  an  opposite  direction. 

For  three  years,  1800-1802  inclusive,  the  offensive  "Jacobin," 
Major  Bradford,  represented  Amherst  in  the  General  Court,  with  the 
aid  of  the  Second  Parish  vote,  and  the  Federal  elements  anticipated 
a  restoration  of  their  local  ascendency  by  freedom  from  this  connec- 
tion. Here  it  may  be  proper  to  remark  that  in  the  First  Parish  itself 
there  was  a  minority  of  active  Republicans,  conspicuous  among  whom 
were  Hon.  William  Fiske,  Cols.  Daniel  Warner  and  Paul  D.  Sargent, 
and  Capt.  Eli  Brown. 

Major  William  Bradford,  so  stigmatized  by  Mr.  Abbott  in  his 
"•Extract  from  a  Town  Meeting,"  a  leading  Republican  of  Mont 
Vernon,  was  a  man  of  note.  His  ather  was  William  Bradford,  from 
Middleton,  Massachusetts,  who  settled  in  Souhegan  West  previous  to 
its  incorporation  as  a  town.  The  son  was  born  here  in  1753.  He 
was  a  sergeant  at  the  age  of  22,  in  Capt.  Josiah  Crosby's  company  at 
Bunker  Hill,  and  an  ensign  in  Capt.  Wilkins's  company  at  the  Cedars, 
where  he  was  taken  prisoner  and  abused  by  the  Indians.  He  after- 
wards served  as  a  lieutenant  in  the  Continental  Army.  In  1800, 
1801,  1802  he  represented  Amherst,  and  in  1804,  1805,  1806  he 
represented  Mont  Vernon  in  the  New  Hampshire  Legislature.  He 
was  the  active  promoter  of  the  incorporation  of  Mont  Vernon  as  a 
separate  town.  In  1812  he  received  a  major's  commission  in  the  1st 
Regiment  New  Hampshire  Volunteers.  He  married  for  his  second 
wife  Mrs.  Lois,  widow  of  Rev.  John  Bruce.  He  had  two  brothers, 
Samuel  and  Joseph,  who  were  in  the  Revolution,  and  his  first  cousin, 
Capt.  John  Bradford,  of  Hancock,  commanded  a  company  in  the 
battle  of  Bennington,  and  was  the  first  man  to  scale  the  enemy's 
breastworks.  Major  Bradford  removed  in  1815  to  Barre,  Vermont, 
where  he  died  October  25,  1816,  aged  63.  For  record  of  his  children, 
see  Family  Register. 

Another  citizen  prominent  in  political  and  town  affairs  during 
this  period  was  Dr.  Rogers  Smith.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of  James 
and  Moriah  (Rolfe)  Smith,   and  was  born  in  Middleton,  Massachu- 


26  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

setts,  June  12,  1776.  His  parents  a  few  months  later  moved  to  Mont 
Vernon.  He  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  William  Jones,  of  Lynde- 
borough,  commenced  practice  in  Amherst  in  1802,  removed  to  Mont 
Vernon  in  1805,  to  Greenbush,  New  York,  as  surgeon  in  the  army,  in 
1813,  and  in  1816  to  Weston,  Vermont,  where  he  died  March  25, 
1845.  During  his  seven  years'  residence  in  Mont  Vernon,  he  was 
three  years  moderator  of  the  town  meeting,  once  selectman,  three 
years  town  clerk,  and  three  years  on  the  School  Board.  He  was  a 
man  of  fine  literary  taste,  a  cultivated  writer,  and  a  well  informed 
and  ardent  politician.  He  was  the  father  of  Asa  Dodge  Smith, 
president  of  Dartmouth  College  from  1863  to  1877. 


CHAPTER  III. 


SEPARATION  PROM  AMHERST. 

Voting  Actions  of  Northwest  Parish—  Act  of  Incorporation  of 
New  Town — Name  Boundary  Lines  of  New  Town — Boundary 
of  New  Town — Name  of  Tax  Payers — First  Town  Meeting. 

ON  the  third  day  of  May,  1802,  the  Northwest  Parish  voted  to 
take  measures  to  effect  a  separation  from  the  town  of  Amherst,  and  a 
committee  consisting  of  Major  "William  Bradford,  John  Carlton,  Capt. 
John  Batchelder,  Capt.  Joseph  Perkins,  Capt.  Thomas  Cloutman, 
Dea.  Jacob  Kendall,  Lieut.  Benjamin  Parker,  Lieut.  Joseph  Farnum, 
Bli  "Wilkins,  Parker  Richardson,  Nathan  Jones,  and  Lieut.  Timothy 
Hill  were  appointed  a  committee  to  petition  the  town  relative  thereto. 

On  the  last  Thursday  of  May,  1802,  the  Parish  voted  to  petition 
the  General  Court  to  incorporate  them  into  a  new  town,  with  the  same 
boundaries  as  those  established  between  the  First  and  Second  Parishes. 

On  the  first  Monday  of  June,  1802,  chose  Nathan  Jones,  Capt. 
Joseph  Perkins,  and  Capt.  Benjamin  Parker  to  present  the  petition  to 
the  General  Court. 

May  2,  1803,  at  a  town  meeting  held  that  day,  Col.  Robert 
Means,  Samuel  Wilkins,  Daniel  Warner,  Samuel  Whiting,  and  William 
Fisk,  of  the  First  Parish,  and  William  Bradford,  Josiah  Perkins,  Eli 
"Wilkins,  Ebenezer  Odell,  and  Joseph  Langdell,  of  the  Second  Parish, 
were  chosen  to  confer  together  upon  a  division  of  the  town,  and  were 
instructed  to  report  at  this  meeting.  After  an  hour's  session  the 
committee  reported  verbally,  "not  agreed."  Whereupon  the  town  of 
Amherst  chose  Col.  Daniel  Warner  agent  to  attend  the  General  Court 
in  the  matter  of  the  Second  Parish  petition.  Daniel  Campbell,  Samuel 
Wilkins,  and  Chas.  H.  Atherton  were  appointed  a  committee  to  con- 
sult with  said  agent  and  give  him  such  advice  and  instruction  as  they 
think  proper,  before  he  shall  attend  the  General  Court. 

However,  an  act  incorporating  the  town  of  Mont  Vernon  was 


28  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

completed  by  the  signature  of  Gov.  John  Taylor  Gilman,   Dec.   15, 
1803. 

The  verdure  of  the  farms,  which  cluster  about  the  eminence  upon 
which  the  village  is  located,  it  is  said  by  some,  suggested  the  name 
of  Mont  Vernon  for  the  town.  A  statement  like  this  may  be  found 
in  the  sketch  of  the  town  by  the  Rev.  C.  D.  Herbert  (once  settled 
over  the  church  at  Mont  Vernon)  in  Lawrence's  History  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Churches,  published  in  Claremont,  in  1856.  But  this  ex- 
planation seems  to  be  open  to  doubt.  The  English  name  "Vernon," 
is  not  at  all  the  same  as  the  French  word  from  which  are  derived  such 
words  as  "verdure,"  "verdant,"  etc.,  signifying  greenness.  And, 
referring  to  the  probabilities,  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter  of  Andover, 
Mass.,  who  also  occupied  the  position  of  pastor  of  the  church  for 
several  years,  and  who  is  a  past  master  in  historical  research,  says  : 
"I  do  not  think  the  hard-headed  farmers  of  our  hill  were  so  imagina- 
tive, in  the  month  of  November,  1803,  as  to  consider  their  pastures 
green  enough  to  suggest  the  name  for  the  town."  And  he  adds  : 
"  Per  contra,  it  seems  to  me  the  preponderating  likelihood  is  that  the 
name  was  intended  to  be  in  memory  of  Washington's  home,  the  be- 
loved Father  of  his  Country  having  then  so  recently  died."  The 
name  "Mont,"  which  seems  to  have  been  used  in  the  act  of  incorpo- 
ration, was  probably  due  to  a  blunder  in  transcription.  The  original 
act  cannot  be  found,  but  a  certified  copy  gives  it  "Mont."  The 
postoffice  name  is,  however,  "  Mount"  Vernon,  and  the  name  is  some- 
times given  as  "  Mont,"  and  sometimes  as  "Mount,"  in  official  or 
semi-official  volumes.  Washington's  home,  Mount  Vernon,  was 
named  for  Admiral  Vernon  of  the  Royal  Navy. 

Its  boundaries,  as  given  in  the  act  of  incorporation,  were  as  follows  : 
"Beginning  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Amherst,  on  New  Boston, 
south  line,  thence  running  sutherly  on  the  west  line  of  Amherst  about 
four  miles  and  a  half  to  the  northwest  corner  of  the  town  of  Milford, 
thence  easterly  on  the  north  line  of  Milford  to  the  southeast  corner  of 
a  lot  of  land  now  in  possession  of  David  Dodge  and  John  Cochran, 
thence  northerly  to  the  northwest  corner  thereof,  thence  easterly  to 
the  southwest  corner  of  a  lot  now  in  possession  of  Nathan  Fuller  and 
John  Fuller,  thence  northerly  to  the  northwest  corner  thereof,  thence 
easterly  on  the  north  line  of  said  Fuller's  lot  and  the  north  line  of 
Elisha  Felton's  house  lot,  and  the  same  course  on  the  line  of  Enos 
Bradford's  and  Lambert  Bradford's  land  to  the  southwest  corner  of 
land  now  or  lately  owned  by  Enos  Bradford,  thence  northerly  on  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  20 

east  line  of  said  land  and  the  east  line  of  a  lot  now  owned  by  John 
Clap  to  the  northeast  corner  of  said  Clap's  land,  thence  a  few  rods  to 
the  southwest  corner  of  a  lot  now  in  possession  of  Andrew  Leavitt, 
thence  northerly  on  the  west  line  of  said  lot  in  possession  of  said 
Leavitt  and  on  the  west  line  of  a  lot  now  owned  by  Col.  Robert  Means 
and  others  to  the  southeast  corner  of  land  now  owned  by  Joseph 
Nichols,  thence  northerly  on  the  west  line  of  said  Nichols's  land  to  the 
northwest  corner  thereof,  thence  easterly  on  the  north  line  of  said 
Nichols's  land  to  a  line  running  south  from  the  east  side  of  Henry 
Spaulding's  land  and  on  the  easterly  line  thereof  until  it  intersects 
New  Boston  line,  thence  westerly  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

The  following  one  hundred  and  thirty- five  tax-payers  were  resi- 
dent in  Mont  Vernon.  April  1,  1804:  Timothy  Austin,  Jesse  Averill, 
John  Averill,  jr.,  Eben  Batchelder,  Israel  Batchelder,  John  Batchelder, 
James  Bennett,  Ebenezer  Bills,  Jonathan  Bixby,  Enos  Bradford, 
Lambert  Bradford,  Widow  Bradford,  William  Bradford,  William 
Bradford,  jr  ,  Mark  Burnam,  Charles  Cambridge,  John  Carlton,  Mrs, 
Emma  Carlton,  Nathan  Cleaves,  Josiah  Coburn,  Thomas  Cloutman, 
Henry  Codmau,  Joseph  Coggin,  William  Coggin,  Jonathan  Conant, 
Jonathan  Conant.  jr.,  Lot  Conant,  Nathan  Cross,  Jacob  Curtis,  Jacob 
Curtis,  jr.,  Allen  Dodge.  Joseph  Dodge,  Josiah  Dodge,  Malachi 
Dodge.  Jonathan  Duncklee,  Benjamin  Durant,  Israel  Farnum,  Joseph 
Farnum,  Thomas  Farnum,  John  Fisk,  John  B.  Flanigan,  Nathan 
Flint,  Samuel  Flint,  Lieut.  Allen  Goodridge,  Allen  Goodridge,  Nathan 
Green.  John  Harwood.John  Harwood,  jr.,  William  Hastings,  Lieut. 
Josiah  Herrick,  Peter  Herrick,  Mrs.  Judith  Hill,  Timothy  Hill, 
Ebenezer  Holt  Ezekiel  Holt  James  Hopkins,  .James  Hopkins,  jr., 
Robert  Hosea,  Nathan  Jones,  Peter  Jones,  Daniel  Kendall,  Jacob 
Kendall,  John  Kendall,  Lieut.  Thaddeus  Kendall.  William  L.  Kidder, 
Josiah  Kittredge,  Solomon  Kittredge.  Dr.  Zephaniah  Kittredge,  Jesse 
Lamson,  Jonathan  Larnson,  jr.,  Mrs.  Mary  Lamson,  Joseph  Langdell, 
Jonathan  Low,  Isaac  Manning,  John  Manning,  David  Marshall, 
Ebenezer  Mills,  Samuel  Mitchell,  Lieut.  Ebenezer  Odell,  Ebenezer 
Odell,  jr.,  Capt.  Benjamin  Parker,  Robert  Parker,  jr.,  Aaron  Peabody, 
John  Peabody,  Moses  Peabody.  Samuel  Peabody,  Capt.  Joseph 
Perkins,  Joseph  Perkins  jr.,  Samuel  Phelps,  Ensign  Benjamin  Pike, 
Ephraim  Pike,  James  Ray,  James  Ray,  jr..  Levi  Ray,  Mrs.  Phoebe 
Raymond,  John  Roby,  John  Roby,  jr.,  John  Rollins,  Daniel  Secombe, 
Dea.  Daniel  Smith,  Daniel  Smith,  jr.,  David  Smith,  Eben  Smith, 
Isaac  Smith,  Isaac  Smith,  jr.,  Jacob  Smith,  James  Smith,  Jeremiah 


30  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Smith,  Nathan  Smith,  Timothy  Smith,  Abijah  Spofford,  Benjamin 
Stearns,  Cyrus  Styles,  Josiah  Swinington,  Robert  Taggart,  Henry 
Treavitt,  Allen  Towne,  John  Trow,  Joseph  Trow,  Joseph  Trow,  jr., 
Enos  Upton,  Dea.  Ezekiel  Upton,  Lieut.  Ezekiel  Upton,  Nehemiah 
Upton,  Isaac  Weston,  John  Weston,  Thomas  Weston,  Abial  Wilkins, 
Abijah  Wilkins,  Eli  Wilkins,  Jonathan  Wilkins,  Peter  Wilkins,  James 
Woodbury. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  January  23,  1804,  at  the  Center 
school-house.  Joseph  Langdell  was  chosen  moderator,  John  Carl- 
ton, town  clerk,  and  John  Carlton,  Jos.  Langdell,  and  Jacob  Kendall, 
selectmen. 

At  the  first  annual  town  meeting,  March  13,  1804,  the  same 
town  officers  were  re  elected,  and  Major  William  Bradford  was  chosen 
as  representative. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


DESCRIPTION  AND  BOUNDARIES. 

Situation — Boundaries — Surface — Fruits — Brooks — Ponds — El- 
evations— Trkes — Granite — Game — Birds — Snakes — Climate 
— Rainfall— Description  ok  Purgatory — Dedication  of  Pur- 
gatory. 

THE  town  of  Mont  Vernon  is  situated  in  the  county  of  Hills- 
borough in  the  State  of  New  Hampshire.  It  lies  a  little  southward 
from  the  territorial  center  of  Hillsborough  County,  being  third  in  the 
tier  of  towns  northward  from  the  Massachusetts  line.  It  is  situated 
in  latitude  42  degrees  51  minutes  north.  Mont  Vernon  is  irregular  in 
shape,  averaging  four  and  one-half  miles  in  length,  and  three  and 
one-half  in  width.  It  covers  an  area  of  about  10,000  acres,  of  which 
a  very  small  part  is  covered  with  water. 

The  towns  which  bound  it  are  :  New  Boston  on  the  north,  Am- 
herst on  the  east,  Amherst  andMilford  on  the  south,  and  Lyndeborough 
on  the  west* 

It  is  twenty-eight  miles  south  by  southwest  from  Concord,  fifteen 
miles  southwest  from  Manchester,  fourteen  miles  northwest  from 
Nashua,  and  four  and  one-half  miles  north  from  the  line  of  the  Nashua 
and  Wilton  railroad  at  Milford  village.  Its  distance  from  Boston  is 
about  fifty-five  miles. 

The  surface  is  hilly,  the  larger  part  of  the  town  being  a  lofty 
ridge  lying  between  the  valley  of  the  south  branch  of  the  Piscataquog 
River  on  the  north,  and  that  of  the  Souhegan  on  the  south.  It  is 
emphatically  an  upland  town.  The  soil  is  rocky,  but  generally  deep 
and  fertile,  well  repaying  careful  cultivation.  It  seems  especially 
adapted  to  the  apple,  several  thousand  barrels  of  this  fruit  being  the 
annual  product  of  its  orchards  ;  and  the  winter  apples  grown  here 
have  long  been  known  as  not  excelled  by  any  for  their  keeping  quali- 
ties. The  annual  crop  of  blueberries  gathered  from  its  pastures  is 
many  hundred  bushels. 


32  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Its  water  courses  are  limited  to  five  brooks,  of  any  considerable 
size,  four  of  which  flow  southerly  to  the  Souhegan,  and  one  northerly 
to  the  Piscataquog.  The  largest  of  these  streams  has  its  rise  in  the 
northeasterly  part  of  the  town,  flows  southerly  some  four  miles, 
(furnishing  in  the  easterly  part  of  the  town  two  mill  sites,)  to  Holt's 
Meadow,  in  Amherst,  where  it  unites  with  Caesar  Brook,  which  rises 
in  Mont  Vernon  village,  two  miles  above,  and  unitedly  they  form 
Beaver  Brook,  which  courses  southward,  and,  after  furnishing  the 
water  power  to  Amherst  village,  makes  its  confluence  with  the  Sou- 
hegan River,  three  miles  below.  The  Indian  name  of  this  stream  as 
given  on  some  maps  is  the  "  Quohquinnepassakessananagnog."  This 
name  excites  much  interest  among  those  who  come  to  Mont  Vernon 
as  strangers.  A  third  brook,  known  as  Harwood's,  rises  in  the 
meadow  northwest  from  Mont  Vernon  village,  and  after  a  journey 
southward  from  three  to  four  miles,  empties  into  the  Souhegan,  one 
and  one-half  miles  above  Milford  village. 

Black,  or  Purgatory,  Brook  issues  from  Smith's  Pond,  one  mile 
northerly  from  the  village,  has  a  course  of  some  five  miles,  and  after 
receiving  a  large  tributary  from  Lyudeborough,  known  as  Curtis 
Brook,  empties  into  the  Souhegan  River  about  three  miles  above 
Milford  village. 

A  fifth  stream  rises  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town,  and  after 
a  course  of  two  miles  northward,  discharges  itself  into  the  Piscataquog 
at  the  hamlet  known  as  Paper  Mill  Village,  in  New  Boston.  It  is 
generally  known  as  Baldwin  brook,  or  sometimes  called  Colby. 

Smith's  Pond,  a  body  of  water  located  one  mile  north  from  the 
village,  covers  an  area  of  twenty-five  acres.  This  name,  Smith's 
Pond,  is  not  usually  applied  to  it,  "The  Old  Pond,"  being  its  com- 
mon designation. 

Joe  English  Pond  is  divided  between  Mont  Vernon,  New  Boston, 
and  Amherst,  the  larger  part  being  in  Amherst. 

Roby's  Hill,  rising  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town  near  Joe 
English  Pond,  forms  the  highest  elevation. 

Other  conspicuous  prominences  are  McCollom  Hill,  on  the  north- 
erly line  of  the  town ;  Beech  Hill,  in  the  northwesterly  section ;  Carle- 
ton  Hill,  in  the  southwesterly  part  of  the  town;  and  near  the  village 
easterly  and  southeasterly  are  Campbell  Hill  and  Prospect  Hill. 
From  the  summit  of  the  latter,  which  is  a  broad  plateau  elevated  some 
one  hundred  feet  above  the  village,  is  obtained  a  prospect  most  varied 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  38 

and  extensive.     An  expanse  of  country  forty  miles  in  every  direction 
is  seen  with  the  naked  eye. 

Mont  Vernon  is  on  an  eminence  nearly  10U()  feet  above  mean 
tide  water. 

Nearly  all  the  different  kinds  of  forest  trees  and  shrubs,  usual  in 
southern  New  Hampshire,  abound  in  Mont  Vernon.  Hard  wood  is 
found  chiefly  here,  largely  beech,  birch,  maple,  and  chestnut,  also  soft 
wood  including  pine,  hemlock,  and  spruce. 

A  little  granite  is  to  be  found,  principally  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  town,  being  of  a  fair  quality.  What  granite  has  been  quarried 
here,  has  been  mainly  used  for  door-stones  and  underpinning. 

The  smaller  wild  and  cultivated  fruits,  blackberries,  blueberries, 
raspberries,  and  strawberries,  are  plentifully  produced,  and  hundreds 
of  bushels  of  the  different  kinds,  more  especially  blueberries,  are 
sold  at  the  boarding  houses,  while  more  are  sent  to  Boston  and  other 
cities.  Forty  years  ago  the  wild  fruits  were  available  to  any  who 
might  desire  to  gather  them.  But  of  late  years  they  have  become  so 
valuable  that  in  most  blueberry  pastures  the  public  are  warned  not  to 
gather  them.  In  the  north  and  east  parts  of  the  town  certain  persons 
make  a  business,  in  the  season,  of  picking,  or  hiring  others  to  pick, 
blueberries,  and  each  day  carry  crates  of  them,  in  quart  boxes,  to 
Milford,  whence  they  are  shipped  by  rail  to  Lowell  and  Boston. 

As  not  any  of  the  ponds  of  Mont  Vernon  are  of  any  considerable 
size,  no  fish  of  much  consequence  are  to  be  found  in  them.  The 
brooks  above  named,  however,  still  abound  in  small  trout,  except 
Purgatory  brook.  The  brooks  are,  however,  so  persistently  fished, 
and  dry  summers  are  so  frequent,  that  the  fishing  is  not  at  all  what 
it  used  to  be,  although  every  year  several  hundred  trout  are  taken 
within  the  limits  of  the  town.  Large  game  was  abundant  in  the  early 
days  of  the  town,  and  small  game  is  now.  Within  late  years  Mont 
Vernon  has  had  many  famous  hunters  for  a  town  of  its  size.  The 
smaller  animals,  as  the  mink,  coon,  musk-rat,  otter,  fox,  rabbit,  or 
hare,  etc.,  are  frequently  met  with.  Squirrels  are  very  common. 
P>en  now  a  deer  is  seen  occasionally.  In  fact,  within  ten  years  these 
animals  have  become  quite  common.  At  present  no  shooting  of  deer 
is  allowed,  and  they  bid  fair  to  become  detrimentally  plenty  to  the 
farmers.  Formerly  the  birds  that  were  to  be  found  in  the  country 
were  more  common  than  at  the  present  day.  Robins,  bluebirds, 
sparrows,  bobolinks,  swallows,  orioles,  or  golden  robins,  partridges. 
•  mail,  and  a  host  of  others  appear  every  summer.     The  voice  of  the 


34  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

whip-poor-will  is  a  pleasant  feature  of  the  summer  evenings.  Often 
in  their  semi-annual  migration  wild  geese  are  seen  or  heard  coursing 
through  the  air.  Rattlesnakes  are  very  rare.  Only  one  has  been 
seen  here  within  the  memory  of  the  present  generation,  a  large  one 
being  killed  in  1840  by  Mr.  Chester  B.  Southworth,  in  the  garden  at- 
tached to  his  house,  on  the  west  side  of  the  cemetery.  Adders,  water 
and  spotted,  also  black,  green,  and  striped  snakes  are  common. 

Sudden  and  extreme  changes  in  temperature  occasionally  occur, 
as  great  and  sudden  as  fifty  degrees  in  eighteen  hours  have  been 
noticed  The  average  snow  fall  for  each  of  the  forty  last  winters  has 
been  a  little  less  than  seven  feet.  The  greatest  rain  fall  within  that 
time  is  believed  to  have  been  in  October,  1869,  when,  after  a  drought 
of  three  months,  nearly  eight  inches  of  water  fell,  damaging  hillside 
highways  and  dams.  The  damage  amounted  to  $3,000  in  this  town, 
and  the  sawmill  of  Arthur  A.  Trow  and  Daniel  W.  Trow  on  the  Har- 
wood  Brook  was  swept  away.  The  old  turnpike,  near  the  old  Town 
Farm,  was  so  washed  out  at  this  time  that  it  was  discontinued  as  a 
highway. 

PURGATORY. 

"Purgatory"  is  the  name  given  to  a  rocky  gorge  two  miles  west 
of  Mont  Vernon,  forming  part  of  the  boundary  lines  between  the 
towns  of  Mont  Vernon  and  Lyndeborough.  It  is  a  deep  ravine,  more 
than  half  a  mile  in  length,  through  which  Black  Brook  makes  its  way. 
At  the  "Upper  Falls"  the  brook  plunges  perpendicularly  about  fifty 
feet  into  a  deep  chasm  or  pit,  from  which  the  view  upward  of  a  solid 
wall  of  rock  on  either  side  and  dense  overhanging  forest  is  one  of 
singular  wildness  and  grandeur.  One  hundred  rods  down  this  steep 
gorge,  the  stream  makes  several  further  leaps  known  as  "Lower 
Falls."  Close  by  the  channel  at  the  "Upper  Falls"  is  the  "Devil's 
Beanpot,"  a  circular. excavation  or  "pot-hole"  several  feet  deep  in  the 
ledge,  and  hard  by  is  a  perpect  imprint  as  of  a  human  foot,  seven 
feet  long,  embedded  in  the  rock,  and  known  as  the  "Devil's  Foot- 
print." In  the  gulf  below  are  the  "Pulpit,"  the  "Overhanging  Rock," 
the  "Devil's  Den,"  the  "Old  Boy's  Face,"  (sometimes  called  the 
"Giant's  Head")  "Hog  Rock,"  and  many  other  points  in  this  museum 
of  Nature's  wonder  works. 

There  is  a  fine  grove  near  the  "Upper  Falls"  which  is  fitted  up 
for  picnic  parties.     The  approach  to  the  glen  is  down  a  steep  hill 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  35 

one-half  mile  long  from  the  Mont  Vernon  side,  on  the  old  highway 
from  Amherst  to  Lyndeborough,  and  a  domestic  once  remarked, 
after  emerging  from  its  gloom,  that  this  Purgatory  was  as  hard  to 
get  out  of  as  the  other. 

Doubtless  this  gorge  had  a  human  history  long  ere  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  set  foot  here.  The  dusky  tribes  of  the  forest  no  doubt  fre- 
quented it  to  gaze  in  awe  and  wonder.  The  students  at  the  village 
academy  were  accustomed  to  make  weekly  picnic  excursions  to  Pur- 
gatory ;  but  the  name  has  no  particular  significance. 

For  some  years,  one  day  in  the  latter  part  of  August  of  each 
year,  hundreds  of  dwellers  in  Mont  Vernon  and  adjacent  towns  had 
been  accustomed  to  resort  to  Purgatory  on  a  picnic  excursion.  In 
July,  1.S89,  Mr.  H.  A.  Hutchinson,  the  owner  of  the  Falls  and  lands 
in  the  vicinity,  associating  himself  with  Messrs.  Henry  F.  Dodge  and 
Joseph  G.  Carleton,  formed  the  plan  of  improving  the  grounds  and 
providing  the  requisite  accommodation  for  the  entertainment  of  any 
number  of.  excursionists  who  might  be  attracted  thither.  A  band 
stand,  danciug  platform,  bowling  alley,  and  other  facilities  were 
erected.  In  short,  they  designed  to  enlarge  the  gathering  and  make 
Purgatory  Picnic  a  permanent  institution.  So,  in  August,  1889,  over 
two  thousand  persons  assembled  to  inaugurate  the  scheme.  J.  H.  A. 
Bruce,  Esq.,  then  the  proprietor  of  the  Hotel  Rellevue,  presided.  The 
survivors  of  the  world-renowned  family  of  Hutchinson  singers,  John 
W.  Hutchinson,  of  Lynn,  and  his  sister,  Mrs.  Abby  H.  Patton,  of 
New  York,  who  led  a  choir  composed  of  such  other  members  of  the 
"Tribe  of  Jesse"  as  had  inherited  something  of  that  rare  gift,  thrilled 
and  charmed  the  vast  audience  by  the  sweetest  music. 

Hon.  Charles  J.  Smith  delivered  a  very  acceptable  historical  ad- 
dress on  "Purgatory  and  Surroundings,"  which  was  published.  Since 
then,  on  the  Thursday  next  the  20th  of  August,  not  less  than  1500  to 
2500  persons  from  near  and  far  have  annually  gathered  here  to  honor 
the  occasion  and  make  it  permanent;  and  these  throngs  coming  each 
returning  August,  establish  the  fact  that  the  festivity  is  popular. 


CHAPTER  V. 


POLITICS,  ROADS  AND  BRIDGES,  NOTABLE 

EVENTS. 

Political  Feeling  between  Amherst  and  Mont  Vernon — The 
Free  Soil  Party  Growth — Votes  at  Several  Elections — 
Boy  Spellbinders — Careers  of  Marden  and  Bruce — High- 
ways and  Bridges — The  Old  Turnpike  Charters — Second 
Turnpike  Road  of  New  Hampshire— The  Amherst  Turnpike 
Corporation — Turnpike  Taverns — Other  Roads — Notable 
Events — Spotted  Fever — Tempests — Frosts — Rain  Storms — 
Floods — Grasshoppers — "Dark"  and  "Yellow"  Days — Long 
Winters. 

AT  the  time  of  the  incorporation  of  the  Northwest  Parish  of  Am- 
herst into  the  town  of  Mont  Vernon,  Thomas  Jefferson  was  President 
and  Aaron  Burr  was  Vice  President  of  the  United  States.  Both  were 
Republicans. 

The  country  was  divided  into  two  large  political  parties,  intensely 
antagonistic  to  each  other,  and  this  party  rancor  affected  the  social 
relations  of  every  community  in  this  country.  The  aversion  of  the 
Amherst  Federalists  to  the  leading  influences  of  Mont  Vernon  con- 
tinued until  the  incoming  of  President  Munroe's  administration,  when 
the  "era  of  good  feeling"  began  to  pervade  the  country.  The  follow- 
ing well-authenticated  anecdote  furnishes  an  instance  of  the  feeling. 
A  prominent  citizen  of  Concord,  who  was  born  in  Amherst  in  1801, 
left  in  1822,  and  died  in  1883,  was  noted  for  his  quaint  and  original 
sayings.  "Whenever  the  town  of  Mont  Vernon  was  mentioned  he 
would  scowl  and  express  himself  thus  :  "Mont  Vernon  !  Mont  Vernon  ! 
it  was  nothing  but  a  community  of  savages  before  the  advent  of  Dr. 
Adams,  whose  coming  brought  civilization  into  the  town." 

Politically,  Mont  Vernon,  in  its  early  days  was  overwhelmingly 
Republican,  as  what  afterward  became  the  Democratic  part}7  was  then 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  37 

called.  The  opposing  part}7  was  the  Federalist  party,  which  later 
was  known  as  the  Whig  party.  The  anti-slavery  sentiment  grew  very 
strong  in  the  early  forties,  and  when  the  "Liberty,"  afterwards  the 
"Free  Soil,"  and,  later  still,  the  modern  "Republican"  parties  were 
organized,  there  was  a  strong  minority  of  anti-slavery  men  to  join 
those  organizations.  The  town,  however,  was  almost  uniformly 
Democratic. 

In  1804  the  national  vote  was :  Federalist  3,  Republican  74. 

State  vote — Oilman,  Federalist  13,   Langdon,   Republican  129. 

1812 — National  vote:  Federalists  35,  Republicans  120, 

1836— National  vote:  Whigs  26,  Democrats  61. 

1840 — National  vote:  Whigs  67,  Democrats  92,  Liberty  4. 

1844  — National  vote  :  Whigs,  18,  Democrats  77,  Liberty  40. 

1846— State  election:  Governor,  Colby,  Whig  18;  Berry,  Liberty 
56;  Williams,  Democrat  80. 

1851 — Governor  vote:  Atwood,  Liberty  98  ;  Sawyer,  Whig  11; 
Dinsmore,  Democrat  48. 

1852 — Governor  vote :  Martin,  Democrat  80;  Atwood,  Liberty 
61  ;  Sawyer,  Whig  18. 

National  vote:  Democrats  77,  Libert}'  57,  Whigs  12. 

1856 — National  vote:  Democrats  110,  Republicans  86. 

1860 — National  vote:  Breckenridge  and  Lane  6,  Douglas  83, 
Lincoln  80. 

1868 — National  vote:  Democrats  95,  Republicans  83. 

1876 — National  vote:  Democrats  96,  Republicans  74. 

1880 — National  vote:  Democrats  104,  Republicans  63. 

1884 — National  vote  :  Democrats  76,  Republicans  64. 

1892 — National  vote:  Democrats  79,  Republicans  60. 

1896 — National  vote:  Palmer,  Gold  Democrat  15,  Bryan,  Silver 
Democrat  27,  McKinley,  Republican  86. 

18(J8 — Governor  vote:  Rollins,  Republican  G5,  Stone,  Democrat 
63. 

A  good  many  of  these  anti-slavery  men  lived  in  the  village,  and 
at  the  Lyceums,  which  used  to  convene  in  the  old  red  school  house, 
many  of  the  debates  were  on  anti-slavery  "questions."  It  was  at 
these  meetings  that  young  Geo.  A.  Bruce  and  Geo.  A.  Maiden,  both 
little  lads  and  chums  in  the  primary  classes,  being  duly  coached  by 
their  respective  fathers,  who  were  rank  abolitionists,  began  their 
careers  as  public  speakers. 

The  town  threatened  to  become  anti-democratic  under  this  con- 


38  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

stant  hammering  of  the  anti-slavery  element,  but  it  was  saved  to  the 
democratic  party  by  a  timely  annexation  of  a  democratic  strip  of 
Lyndeboro'  along  the  west  line,  in  1852.  This  annexation  had  been 
petitioned  for  the  year  before  by  Abraham  French  and  others,  but 
was  not  enacted  by  the  Legislature.  In  the  town  warrant  for  the 
March  meeting  in  1852,  Article  6  was  as  follows:  "In  consequence 
of  a  petition  signed  by  Hiram  Perkins  and  others,  to  see  if  the  town 
will  vote  in  favor  of  disannexing  a  part  of  Lyndeboro',  and  annexing 
the  same  to  Mont  Vernon,  it  being  the  same  as  that  petitioned  for  by 
Abraham  French  and  others  at  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature." 
The  vote  was  76  yeas,  to  22  nays.  At  the  March  meeting  in  1853  it 
was  voted  to  raise  $105.00  to  defray  the  expenses  of  said  annexation. 

In  1860,  when  Lincoln  was  elected  President,  the  anti-democratic 
voters,  having  joined  hands  as  modern  Republicans,  were  exceedingly 
jubilant,  and,  a  few  evenings  after  the  election,  celebrated  the  victory 
in  most  enthusiastic  style.  A  company  of  "Wide  Awakes,"  as  the 
campaign  organizations  of  the  party  were  known,  paraded  the  streets 
in  uniform  hats  and  capes,  and  carrying  lighted  torches.  Every  Re- 
publican house  in  the  village  was  illuminated,  in  the  way  then  in 
vogue,  with  a  lighted  candle  in  each  window  pane.  A  brass  band  es- 
corted the  procession  with  martial  music,  and  a  mass  meeting  crowded 
the  "New  Academy  Hall,"  where  speeches  were  made  by  several 
local  orators,  including  young  Bruce  and  Marden,  who  were  now  class- 
mates and  room-mates  in  Dartmouth  College,  where  they  graduated 
the  next  summer.  Marden  was  just  old  enough  to  cast  his  first  vote 
for  Abraham  Lincoln,  but  Bruce,  whose  birthday  did  not  come  until 
November  19,  was  a  bit  too  young  to  share  in  that  glory. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  record  certain  facts  in  the 
careers  of  these  two  young  men,  which  were,  at  that  time,  considered 
somewhat  remarkable.  Both  were  born  on  the  main  village  street, 
within  a  few  rods  of  each  other  —  Marden,  August  9,  and  Bruce 
November  19,  1839.  They  attended  the  same  district  school,  drove 
the  family  cows  to  the  same  pasture,  were  always  together  in  their 
studies  and  their  sports,  entered  Appleton  Academy  together,  gradu- 
ated in  the  same  class,  entered  Dartmouth  College  together,  roomed 
in  the  same  rooms  and  ate  at  the  same  tables,  through  the  entire  four 
years,  belonged  to  the  same  society,  and  graduated  together  in  the 
class  of  1861.  They  did  not  serve  together  during  the  war,  but  were 
both  in  the  service  about  three  years.  Both  studied  law  after  the 
war,  but  Marden  drifted  into  journalism,  and  Bruce  was  admitted  to 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  39 

the  bar;  and  in  1867  they  were  both  in  Boston,  again  sleeping  in  the 
same  room  and  sitting  at  the  same  table.  In  1884,  Bruce  was  elected 
President  of  the  Massachusetts  Senate,  and  Maiden  was  elected,  for 
the  second  time,  to  the  Speakership  of  the  Massachusetts  House  of 
Representatives. 

HIGHWAYS    AND    I5RIDOES. 

The  town  of  Mont  Vernon  as  constituted  at  this  writing  (1904) 
has  about  60  miles  of  public  highways  within  its  limits.  It  has  no 
bridges  of  any  great  importance  to  maintain.  Its  roads  are  fairly  well 
kept,  and  the  annual  expense  of  maintenance,  including  road-breaking 
in  winter,  is  now  about  81400.  The  modern  "road-machine"  has  done 
much  to  improve  those  roads  which  are  not  too  much  used,  but  the 
main  travelled  roads  often  are  made  worse  by  the  scraping  from  the 
gutters  into  the  middle  of  the  highways,  of  the  worn  out  material 
which  has  so  long  been  subjected  to  the  wear  of  travel. 

It  is  difficult  to  learn  the  details  of  the  laying  out  of  the  earliest 
roads,  but  among  them  it  is  certain  that  the  old  Turnpike  is  one  of 
early  enterprises  in  this  direction. 

THE    TURNPIKE. 

The  "Second  Turnpike  Road  in  New  Hampshire"  was  incorpo- 
rated in  1779.  We  are  indebted  to  the  Hon.  E.  N.  Pearson,  Secretary 
of  State,  for  a  copy  of  its  charter,  which  was  as  follows : 

STATE  OF  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

[L.    S.] 

In  the  Year  of  Our   Lord  One  Thousand  Seven   Hundred  and 

Ninety  Nine. 

AN  ACT  TO  INCORPORATE  A  COMPANY  BY  THE:  NAME  OF 
THE  PROPRIETORS  OF  THE  SECOND  TURNPIKE  ROAD 
IN  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  Gen- 
eral Court  convened,  that  Josiah  Stevens,  Isaac  Green,  and  Nathan 
Coolidge,  and  their  associates  and  successors  be,  and  they  are  hereby 
incorporated  and  made  a  body  corporate  and  politic  under  the  name  of 
the  Proprietors  of  the  Second  Turnpike  Road  in  New  Hampshire,  and 
in  that  name  may  sue  and  prosecute  &  be  sued  and  prosecuted  to  final 
judgment  and  execution,  and  shall  be,  and  hereby  are  vested  with  all 
the  powers  and  privileges,  which  by  law  are  incident  to  corporations  of 
a  similar  nature. 


40  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

And  be  it  further  enacted  that  the  said  Josiah  Stevens  shall  call  a 
meeting-  of  said  proprietors  by  advertisement  in  the  newspapers  printed 
at  Walpole  and  Amherst  to  be  holden  at  any  suitable  time  and  place,  at 
least  fourteen  days  from  the  first  publication  of  said  advertisement  & 
the  proprietors  by  a  vote  of  a  majority  of  those  present  or  represented  at 
said  meeting',  accounting  and  allowing  one  vote  to  each  share  in  all 
cases,  shall  choose  a  clerk,  who  shall  be  sworn  to  the  faithful  discharge 
of  said  office,  and  shall  also  agree  on  the  method  of  calling  future  meet- 
ings, and  at  the  same  time,  or  at  any  subsequent  meetings,  may  elect 
such  officers  and  make  and  establish  such  rules  and  by-laws,  as  to  them 
shall  seem  necessary  and  convenient  for  the  regulation  and  government 
of  said  corporation  for  carrying  into  effect  the  purpose  aforesaid,  and 
for  collecting  the  tolls  herein  after  established,  and  the  same  by-laws 
may  cause  to  be  executed  and  annex  penalties  to  the  breach  thereof, 
provided  the  said  rules  and  by-laws  are  not  repugnant  to  the  constitu- 
tion and  laws  of  this  state;  and  all  representations  shall  be  proved  b>r 
writing  signed  by  the  person  to  be  represented,  which  shall  be  filed 
with  the  clerk,  and  this  act,  and  all  rules,  by-laws,  regulations  and 
proceedings  of  said  corporation  shall  be  fairly  and  truly  recorded  by 
the  clerk  in  a  book  or  books  provided  and  kept  for  that  purpose. 

And  be  it  further  enacted  that  the  said  corporation  are  empowered 
to  survey,  lay  out,  make  and  keep  in  repair  a  turnpike  road  of  four  rods 
wide,  in  such  rout  or  tracts,  as  in  the  best  of  their  judgment  and  skill, 
shall  combine  shortness  of  distance,  with  the  most  practicable  ground, 
from  the  lottery  bridge  in  Claremont,  to  the  plain  in  Amherst  in  this 
state,  near  the  court  house. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  if  the  said  proprietors,  and  the 
owners  of  land,  over  which  the  road  may  run,  shall  disagree  on  the 
compensation  to  be  made  for  said  land,  and  the  building  or  buildings 
thereon  standing,  and  shall  not  agree  in  appointing  persons  to  ascer- 
tain such  compensation,  the  judges  of  the  court  of  common  pleas  in  the 
county  in  which  said  land  lies,  if  not  interested,  and  if  interested,  the 
judges  of  the  superior  court,  upon  application  of  the  said  proprietors, 
or  the  owners  of  the  land,  reasonable  notice  of  such  application  having 
been  given,  by  the  applicants,  to  the  adverse  party,  shall  appoint  a 
committee,  who  shall  ascertain  the  same,  in  the  same  way  as  compen- 
sation is  made  to  owners  of  land  for  highways  as  usually  laid  out,  and 
execution  on  nonpayment,  against  said  proprietors  shall  issue  of 
course. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  the  corporation  may  erect  and  fix, 
such,  and  so  many  gates  or  turnpikes  upon  and  across  said  road,  as  will 
be  necessary  and  sufficient  to  collect  the  tolls  and  duties  hereinafter 
granted  to  the  said  company,  from  all  persons  travelling  in  the  same, 
with  horses,  cattle,  carts  and  carriages. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  said 
company  to  appoint  such  and  so  many  toll  gatherers,  as  they  shall  think 
proper,  to  collect  and  receive  of  and  from  all  and  every  person  or  per- 
sons using  said  road,  the  tolls  and  rates  herein  after  mentioned,  and 
to  stop  any  person  riding,  leading,  or  driving  any  horses,  cattle,  hogs, 
sheep,  sulkey,  chair,  chaise,  phaeton,  coach,  chariot,  cart,  wagon, 
sleigh,  sled,  or  other  carriage  of  burden  or  pleasure  from  passing 
through  the  said  gates  or  turnpikes,  until  they  shall  have  respectively 
paid  the  same;  that  is  to  say,  for  every  mile  of  said  road,  and  so  in  pro- 
portion, for  a  greater  or  less  distance,  or  greater  or  smaller  number  of 
sheep,  hogs  or  cattle  (viz)  for  every  ten  sheep  cr  hogs  one  cent,  for  every 
ten  cattle  or  horses  two  cents;  for  every  horse  &  his  rider,  or  led  horse 
one  cent;  for  every  sulkey,   chair,   or  chaise,    with   one   horse    and   two 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  41 

wheels,  two  cents;  for  every  chariot,  coach,  stage-wagon,  phaeton  or 
chaise  with  two  horses  and  four  wheels,  three  cents,  for  either  of  the 
carriages  last  mentioned  with  four  horses,  four  cents;  for  every  other 
carruige  of  pleasure  the  like  sums,  according'  to  the  number  of  wheels 
and  horses;  drawing  the  same;  for  each  cart,  or  other  carriage  of  bur- 
den, drawn  by  one  beast,  one  cent;  for  each  wagon,  cart,  or  other  carri- 
age of  burden,  drawn  by  two  beasts,  one  cent  and  an  half ;  if  by  more  than 
two  beasts,  one  cent  for  each  additional  yoke  of  oxen  or  horse;  for  each 
sleigh  drawn  by  one  horse,  one  cent;  if  drawn  by  two  horses,  two  cents; 
and  if  by  more  than  two  horses  one  cent  for  every  additional  horse;  for 
each  sled  drawn  by  one  horse  one  cent;  for  each  sled  drawn  by  two  hors- 
es or  a  yoke  of  oxen,  one  and  a  quarter  cent,  and  if  by  more  than  two 
horses,  or  one  yoke  of  oxen,  one  cent  for  each  additional  pair  ot  horses, 
or  yoke  of  oxen;  and  at  all  times  when  the  toll-gatherer  shall  not  attend 
his  duty  the  gates  shall  be  left  open;  and  if  any  person  shall  with  his 
carriage,  team,  cattle  or  horses  turn  out  of  the  said  road  to  pass  the  said 
turnpike  gate,  or  ground  adjacent  thereto,  with  intent  to  avoid  the  pay- 
ment of  the  toll  due,  by  virtue  of  this  act,  such  person  shall  forfeit  and 
pay  three  times  so  much  as  the  legal  toll  would  have  been,  to  be  recov- 
ered by  the  treasurer  of  the  said  corporation  to  the  use  thereof  in  an 
action  of  debt  or  on  the  case;  provided  that  nothing  in  this  act  shall  ex- 
tend to  entitle  the  said  corporation  to  demand  toll  of  any  person  who 
shall  be  passing ,vvith  his  horse  or  carriage  to  or  from  public  worship, 
or  with  his  horse,  team  or  cattle,  or  on  foot,  to  or  from  any  mill,  or  on 
the  common  and  ordinary  business  of  family  concerns  within  the  same 
town. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  the  said  proprietors  are  hereby  em- 
powered to  purchase  and  hold  in  fee  simple,  so  much  land  as  will  be 
necessary  for  said  turnpike  road;  and  the  share  or  shares  of  any  of  said 
proprietors  may  be  transferred  by  deed  duly  executed  and  acknowl- 
edged and  recorded  by  the  clerk  of  said  proprietors  on  their  records, 
and  the  share  or  shares  of  any  proprietors  may  be  sold  by  said  corpora- 
tion on  nonpayment  of  assessments  duly  made  agreeable  to  the  by-laws 
that  may  be  agreed  upon  by  said  corporation. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  no  toll  shall  be  taken  by  said  cor- 
poration for  any  mile  of  said  road  until  eight  hundred  dollars  shall 
have  been  expended  thereon,  or  a  proportionate  sum  upon  the  whole 
number  of  miles,  reckoning  from  the  Lottery  Bridge  in  Claremont  to  the 
place  where  said  road  may  terminate. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  said  corporation  may  be  indicted  for 
defect  of  repairs  of  said  road  after  the  toll  gates  are  erected,  and  fined 
in  the  same  way  and  manner  as  towns  are  by  law  fineable  for  suffering 
roads  to  be  out  of  repair,  and  said  fine  may  be  levied  on  the  profits  and 
tolls  arising  or  accruing  to  said  proprietors. 

Provided  nevertheless,  and  be  it  further  enacted,  that  if  the  said 
turnpike  road  shall  in  any  part  be  the  same  with  any  highway  now 
used,  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  said  corporation  to  erect  a  gate  or  turn- 
pike on  or  across  said  part  of  the  road  that  now  is  used  and  occupied 
as  a  public  highway  anything  in  this  act  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  when  said  proprietors  shall  make  it 
appear  to  the  judges  of  the  superior  court  of  judicature  that  t'ley  have 
expended  said  sum  of  eight  hundred  dollars  on  each  mile,  or  a  propor- 
tioniible  sum  as  before  mentioned  the  proprietors  shall  have  the  liberty 
to  erect  the  gates  as  aforesaid. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  at  the  end  of  every  ten  years  after 
the  setting  up  any  toll  gate  an  account  of  the   expenditures   upon   said 


42  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

road,  and  the  profits  arising'  therefrom  shall  be  laid  before  the  judges 
of  the  superior  court  for  the  time  being,  under  forfeiture  of  the  priv- 
ileges of  this  act  in  future,  and  if  the  neat  profits  of  the  said  ten  years 
shall  exceed  twelve  per  cent,  per  annum,  the  said  court  may  reduce  the 
future  toll  so  far  as  that  it  may  not  exceed  twelve  per  cent. :  and  if  the 
profits  shall  not  amount  to  six  per  cent.,  the  said  court  may  raise  the 
toll  so  that  it  shall  not  be  less  than  six,  nor  exceed  twelve  per  cent. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  if  in  ten  years  the  said  road  shall 
not  be  completed  according  to  the  provision  in  this  act,  every  part  and 
clause  thereof  shall  be  null  and  void:  Provided  also  that  the  State  of 
New  Hampshire  may  at  any  time  after  the  expiration  of  fort}'  years 
from  the  passing  of  this  act,  repay  the  proprietors  of  said  road,  the 
amount  of  the  sum  expended  by  them  thereon,  with  twelve  per  cent,  per 
annum  in  addition  thereto,  deducting  the  toll  actually  received  by  the 
proprietors,  in  that  case  the  said  road  shall  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
be  the  property  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  anything  in  this  act 
to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

State  of  New  Hampshire. 
In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Deer.  20th,  1799. 
The  foregoing  bill  having  had  three  several  readings  passed  to  be 
enacted. 

Sent  up  for  concurrence, 

JOHN  PRENTICE,  Speaker. 

In  Senate  Deer.  23d,  1799,  This  Bill  having  been  read  a  third  time, 
was  enacted. 

AMOS  SHEPARD,  President. 
Approved  Deer.  26th,  1799. 

J.   T.   OILMAN,  Governor. 
A  true  copy, 

Attest,  Philip  Carrigain. 

In  1812  "The  Amherst  Turnpike  Corporation"  was  chartered, 
and  as  it  was  a  continuation  of  the  Second  Turnpike  Road,  above  re- 
ferred to,  it  is  of  interest  in  connection  therewith,  and  its  charter 
was  as  follows  : 


STATE  OF  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

[l.   S.] 

In  the   Year  ok   Our  Lord  One   Thousand   Eight   Hundred   and 

Twelve. 

AN  ACT  TO  INCORPORATE   A  COMPANY  BY  THE  NAME  OE 
THE  AMHERST  TURNPIKE  CORPORATION. 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representa- 
tives in  General  Court  convened,  that  David  Dexter.  Josiah  Stevens  and 
Samuel  Fiske  and  their  associates  and  successors  be  and  they  hereby 
are  incorporated  and  made  a  body  corporate  &  politic  forever,  under 
the  name  of  the  Amherst  Turnpike  corporation  and  in  that  name  may 
sue  and  prosecute,  and  be  sued  and  prosecuted  until  final  judgment  and 


HISTORY  OF  .MONT  VERNON.  43 

execution;  and  shall  be  and  hereby  are  vested  with  all  the  privileges 
and  powers  which  by  law  are  incident  to  corporations  <>f  a  similar 
nature. 

Sec.  2.  And  be  >+  further  enacted,  that  the  said  David  Dexter  and 
Josiah  Stevens  or  either  of  them,  shall  call  a  meeting  of  said  propri- 
etors, to  be  holden  at  an}7  suitable  time  and  place,  by  posting  notifica- 
tions, one  at  least  in  some  public  place  in  each  town  through  which 
said  road  is  contemplated  to  pass,  at  least  fourteen  days  before  the  time 
of  holding  said  meeting  expressing  the  time,  place  anil  design  of  said 
meeting;  and  the  proprietors  by  a  majority  present  or  represented  at 
said  meeting,  accounting  and  allowing  one  vote  to  each  share  in  ail 
cases,  shall  choose  a  clerk  who  shall  be  sworn  to  the  faithful  discharge 
of  the  duties  of  his  Office;  and  shall  agree  on  a  method  of  calling  future 
meetings;  and  at  the  same  or  at  any  subsequent  meeting,  may  elect  such 
officers  and  make  and  establish  such  rules  ami  by-laws  as  to  them 
shall  seem  necessary  and  convenient,  for  the  regulation  and  government 
of  said  corporation  for  carrying  into  effect  the  purposes  aforesaid,  and 
for  collecting  the  tolls  hereinafter  established;  and  the  same  by-laws 
may  cause  to  be  executed  and  annex  penalties  to  the  breach  thereof; 
provided  said  rules  and  by-laws  are  not  repugnant  to  the  laws  of  this 
State.  And  all  representations  at  any  meeting  shall  be  proved  by 
writing  signed  by  the  person  to  be  represented,  which  shall  be  filed  b}T 
the  clerk  in  a  book  or  books  provided  and  kept  for  that  purpose. 

Sec.  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  the  said  corporation  are 
hereby  empowered,  to  lay  out,  make  and  keep  in  repair  a  turnpike  road 
of  four  rods  wide,  beginning  at  the  end  of  the  second  New  Hampshire 
turnpike  on  Amherst  plain  thence  running  to  the  line  between  the  State 
of  New  Hampshire  and  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  in  a  direction 
to  meet  the  Turnpike  road  in  Tyngsborough  in  the  Commonwealth  of 
Massachusetts,  conforming  to  the  survey  lately  made  by  Daniel  Warner 
Esquire  as  near  as  the  nature  of  the  ground  will  permit. 

Sec.  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  if  the  said  proprietors,  and 
the  owners  of  land  over  which  said  road  may  run,  shall  not  agree  on 
the  compensation  to  be  made  for  such  land,  and  shall  not  agree  in  ap- 
pointing persons  to  ascertain  such  compensation,  the  Justices  of  the 
Court  of  Common  pleas  in  the  County  where  such  land  lies,  if  not  inter- 
ested, and  if  interested  the  Justices  of  the  Superior  Court,  upon  the  appli- 
cation of  the  proprietors  or  owners  of  the  land,  reasonable  notice  having 
been  given  to  the  adverse  party,  of  such  application  shall  appoint  a 
committee  who  shall  ascertain  the  same  in  the  same  way  as  compensa- 
tion is  made  to  the  owners  of  land  for  highways  as  usually  laid  out. 
Provided  nevertheless  that  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  said  proprietors  to 
make  such  road  until  the  damages  done  the  owner  or  owners  of  the  land 
through  which  the  same  is  laid  out,  is  ascertained  and  paid,  or  tender 
thereof  made,  or  security  given  for  the  payment  of  the  same  to  the  said 
owner  thereof  to  his  or  their  satisfaction. 

Sec.  5.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  the  said  corporation  may 
erect  and  fix  such  and  so  many  gates  or  turnpikes  upon  and  across  said 
road  as  will  be  necessary  and  sufficient  to  collect  the  tolls  and  duties 
herein  after  granted  to  said  company,  from  all  persons  travelling  the 
same  with  horses,  cattle,  carts  or  carriages. 

Sec.  6.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful 
for  said  company,  to  appoint  such  and  so  many  toll-gatherers  as  they 
shall  think  proper,  to  collect  of  and  from  all  and  every  person  or  per- 
sons using  said  road,  the  rates  and  tolls  herein  after  mentioned,  and  to 
stop  any  person  riding,  leading  or  driving  any  horses,  cattle,  carts  or 
carriages  from  passing  through  said  gates  or  turnpikes,  until  they  shall 


44  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

respectively  have  paid  the  same;  that  is  to  say  for  every  mile  of  said 
road,  and  so  in  proportion  for  a  greater  or  less  distance,  or  greater  or 
smaller  number  of  horses,  cattle  or  carriages  Viz.  f  >r  every  ten  sheep 
or  swine  one  half  cent;  for  every  ten  neat  cattle,  horses  or  mules  one 
cent;  for  every  horse  and  his  rider  or  led  horse  one  cent;  for  every  sulk- 
ey,  chair  or  chaise,  with  one  horse  and  two  wheels  two  cents;  for  every 
coach,  chariot,  stage,  phaeton  or  chaise  with  two  horses  and  four  wheels, 
three  cents;  for  either  of  the  carriages  last  mentioned  with  four  horses, 
four  cents;  for  every  other  carriage  of  pleasure,  the  like  sums  according 
to  the  number  of  wheels  and  horses  drawing  the  same;  for  each  cart, 
waggon  or  other  carriage  of  burthen  drawn  by  one  beast,  one  cent;  for 
the  like  carriages  drawn  by  two  beasts,  one  and  a  half  cents;  if  by 
more  than  two  beasts,  one  cent  for  each  additional  yoke  of  oxen  or  pair 
of  horses;  for  each  pleasure  sleigh  drawn  by  one  horse,  one  cent  and  a 
half;  if  drawn  by  two  horses,  two  cents;  if  drawn  by  more  than  two 
horses,  one  cent  for  each  additional  horse;  for  each  sled  or  sleigh  of 
burthen  drawn  by  one  horse,  three  quarters  of  a  cent;  if  by  two  horses 
or  one  yoke  of  oxen,  one  cent;  if  by  more  than  two  horses  or  one  yoke 
of  oxen,  one  cent  for  each  additional  yoke  of  oxen  or  pair  of  horses;  and 
at  all  times  when  the  toll  gatherer  does  not  attend  his  duty  the  gates 
shall  be  left  open;  and  if  any  person  shall  with  his  carriage,  team, 
cattle  or  horses  turn  off  the  said  road  to  pass  the  said  turnpike  gate  on 
ground  adjacent  thereto,  not  being  a  public  highway,  with  an  intent  to 
avoid  the  payment  of  the  toll  due  by  virtue  of  this  act,  such  person 
shall  forfeit  and  pay  three  times  as  much  as  the  legal  toll  would  have 
been;  provided  that  nothing  in  this  act  shall  extend  to  entitle  said  cor- 
poration to  demand  or  receive  toll  of  any  person  who  is  an  inhabitant  of 
any  town  where  any  gate  may  be  erected,  nor  any  officer  or  soldier  of 
the  militia  under  arms,  going  to  or  from  the  place  of  military  duty  nor 
to  any  funeral  that  may  have  occasion  to  pass  said  gate. 

Sec.  7.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  the  said  corporation  are 
hereby  empowered  to  purchase  and  hold  in  fee  simple,  so  much  land  as 
will  be  necessary  for  said  turnpike  road,  and  the  share  or  shares  of  any 
proprietor  may  be  transferred  by  deed,  duly  executed,  acknowledged 
and  recorded  by  the  clerk  of  said  corporation  on  their  records;  and  said 
shares  may  be  sold  by  said  corporation  on  non-payment  of  assessments 
duly  made,  agreeable  to  the  by-laws  of  said  corporation. 

Sec.  8.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  the  said  corporation  shall 
take  no  toll  for  any  mile  of  said  road  until  six  hundred  dollars  shall 
have  been  expended  thereon,  reckoning  a  proportionate  sum  upon  the 
whole  number  of  miles  from  the  second  New  Hampshire  turnpike  road 
on  Amherst  plain,  to  the  line  between  the  State  of  New  Hampshire  and 
the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts;  nor  shall  any  toll  be  taken  for  any 
mile  of  said  road  until  the  Justices  of  the  superior  court  shall  adjudge 
that  said  road  is  sufficiently  made  to  entitle  the  said  corporation  to  re- 
ceive toll,  at  which  time  said  incorporation  may  erect  gates  thereon  ac- 
cording to  the  provisions  of  this  act. 

Sec.  9.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  said  corporation  may  be 
indicted  for  want  of  repairs  on  said  road  after  the  toll  gates  are  erected, 
and  fined  in  the  same  way  and  manner  as  towns  are  by  law  tineable 
for  suffering  highways  and  bridges  to  be  out  of  repair;  and  said  fines 
may  be  levied  on  the  profits  and  tolls  accruing  to  said  corporation- 
provided  that  if  said  Turnpike  road  shall  in  any  part  be  the  same 
with  any  highway  now  used,  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  said  corporation 
to  erect  any  gate  or  turnpike  upon  or  across  that  part  of  said  road 
which  is  now  used  as  a  public  highway,  anything  herein  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  45 

Sec.  10.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  at  the  end  of  every  six 
year>  after  the  setting  up  of  any  Toll-gate  upon  the  road  aforesaid  an 
account  of  the  expenditures  upon  said  road  and  the  profits  arising 
therefrom,  shall  be  laid  before  the  Justices  of  the  superior  court  for  the 
time  being  under  the  forfeiture  of  the  privileges  of  this  grant  in  future; 
and  if  the  net  profits  for  the  said  six  years  shall  exceed  nine  per 
centum  per  annum,  the  said  court  may  reduce  the  future  rates  of  toll  so 
far  as  that  it  may  not  exceed  nine  per  centum  per  annum;  and  if  the  said 
profits  shall  not  amount  to  six  per  centum  per  annum,  the  said  court 
may  raise  the  future  rates  of  toll,  so  that  it  shall  not  be  less  than  six 
per  centum  per  annum  nor  more  than  nine  per  cent,  per  annum. 

Sec.  11.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  if  in  four  years  from  the 
passing  of  this  act,  the  said  road  and  every  part  thereof  shall  not  be 
completed,  agreeable  to  the  provisions  of  this  act,  every  part  and  clause 
thereof  shall  be  null  and  void  — provided  also  that  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire  may  at  any  time  after  the  passing  hereof  repay  the  proprie- 
tors of  the  said  road  the  amount  of  the  sums  expended  by  them  thereon, 
with  nine  per  cent,  per  annum  in  addition  thereto,  deducting  the  toll 
actually  received  by  said  corporation;  in  that  case  the  road  shall,  to  all 
intents  and  purposes,  be  the  property  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire, 
provided  further  that  the  Legislature  of  this  State  shall  have  a  right  to 
adopt  such  measures  in  future,  as  shall  by  them  be  considered  necessary 
or  expedient,  to  compel  said  proprietors  to  keep  said  road  in  good 
repair. 

State  of  New  Hampshire. 
In  the  House  of  Representatives,  June  17,  1812. 
The  foregoing  Bill  having  had  three  several  readings  passed  to  be 
enacted. 

Sent  up  for  concurrence, 

CLEMENT  STORER,   Speaker. 

In  the  Senate,  June  18,  1812.  This  Bill  having  been  read  a  third 
time  was  enacted. 

JOSHUA  DARLING,   President. 

By  the  Governor,  the  same  day,  approved. 

WILLIAM  PLUMER. 
Recorded  agreeably  to  the  original. 
Attest: 

Saml.  Sparhawk,  Secretary. 

The  Second  Turnpike  Road  of  New  Hampshire  was  built  in  1802. 
It  ran  from  the  southern  line  of  Mont  Vernon,  through  the  center  of 
the  town  and  its  entire  length,  making  its  distance  in  the  town  about 
five  miles.  The  first  toll-house  above  Amherst  was  in  the  north- 
westerly part  of  Mont  Vernon,  and  was  kept  by  James  McCauley 
forty  years.  The  stage  ran  daily  on  this  road  from  Amherst  to 
Windsor,  Vermont,  for  more  than  fifty  years. 

The  turnpike  built  by  the  two  corporations  ran  southerly  through 
Amherst  and  South  Merrimack  to  Nashua,   and  so  on  to  Boston, 


46  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

though  it  was  not  a  turnpike  for  the  entire  distance.  To  the  north  it 
passed  directly  to  Francestown,  and  thence  down  the  long  hill  to 
Cork  Plain  to  Hillsborough,  and  through  Hillsborough  Lower  and 
Upper  Villages,  Washington,  Lempster,  Goshen,  and  Unity,  to  C'lare- 
mont,  and  thence  to  Windsor,  Vermont,  crossing  the  Connecticut 
river  by  a  bridge.  In  the  days  before  railroads  were  established, 
this  thoroughfare  was,  at  certain  seasons,  filled  with  teams  of  the 
farmers,  of  one,  two,  four  or  six  horses,  carrying  their  produce  to 
Boston,  and  returning,  to  the  country  stores  and  homes,  groceries, 
liquors,  dry  goods,  etc.,  demanded  for  home  use.  A  most  interest- 
ing description  of  things  in  this  regard  will  be  found  in  the  admirable 
historical  address  given  by  Col.  Bruce  at  the  centennial  celebration 
of  the  town  in  1003,  which  is  printed  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

"On  the  15th  of  April,  1*37,  agreeably  to  a  vote  of  the  Pro- 
prietors, all  the  gates  on  the  Second  New  Hampshire  Turnpike  were 
thrown  open,  and  the  road  was  made  free  from  that  day."  The 
foregoing  is  found  in  Secoinbe's  History  of  Amherst,  p.  453.  No 
mention  is  made  of  the  discontinuance  of  the  road  built  by  the  "Am- 
herst Turnpike  Corporation,"  but  as  the  latter  was  only  an  extension 
of  the  former,  and  the  proprietors  were  the  same,  probably  the  whole 
turnpike  was  discontinued  at  the  same  time.  Mr.  Secombe's  History 
adds  that  the  act  of  incorporation  was  repealed  by  the  General  Court 
July  4,  1837,  and  the  care  of  the  road  thenceforth  devolved  upon  the 
towns  through  which  it  passed. 

On  the  3d  and  4th  of  October,  186(.»,  occurred  the  very  heavy 
rain,  above  noted,  which  so  washed  out  the  turnpike  near  the  foot  of 
the  hill  close  by  what  had  been  the  "Town  Farm,"  that  it  was  dis- 
continued, as  not  worth  repairing  for  the  small  amount  of  travel 
passing  over  it. 

To  accommodate  the  travel  on  the  turnpike  in  its  palmy  days, 
there  were  numerous  taverns,  at  intervals  of  two  or  three  miles,  some 
of  which  are  still  standing,  though  their  use  as  places  of  refreshment 
for  man  and  beast  has  been  rendered  obsolete.  In  those  days,  how- 
ever, they  must  have  sheltered  many  a  weary  teamster,  and  their 
open  fire-places  must  have  brewed  many  a  mug  of  flip,  and  the  bars 
must  have  dispensed  many  a  glass  of  rum  and  "black-strap."  Then 
everybody  imbibed,  and  rum  was  no  small  item  in  the  freights  of  the 
returning  teams. 

Among  these  is  a  tavern  about  a  mile  from  the  village,  which 
used  to  be  kept  by  Zepbaniah  Kittredge.      It  is  now  owned  by  Mr. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  47 

Lucius  B.  Hutchinson,  who  bought  the  place  for  its  lumber.  The 
house  is  occupied  at  intervals  by  more  or  less  transient  people,  and 
the  buildings  are  fast  going  to  ruin. 

A  large  house  standing,  at  the  junction  of  the  Turnpike  and  the 
road  to  Paper-Mill  Village  in  New  Boston,  was  once  a  tavern,  which 
went  out  of  commission  when  the  teaming  business  lapsed.  It  was 
occupied  afterwards  by  the  late  Stephen  G.  Dunbar,  and  later  still 
by  the  late  David  McColloin. 

Not  far  east  of  this  is  a  house  in  which  Nelson  E.  Shedd  kept 
tavern,  but  it  is  now  in  poor  condition.  All  these  landmarks  will 
soon  disappear. 

The  old  turnpike  is  a  notably  hard  road  as  far  as  it  runs  in  Mont 
Vernon.  It  is  rocky  and  in  places  sandy,  and  just  at  the  New  Boston 
line,  beyond  the  McCollom,  or  as  it  used  to  known,  the  Parker  place, 
is  a  long  and  very  sandy  hill,  known  as  Warner  Hill,  which  was 
always  the  bane  of  the  stage-driver  and  the  teamster. 

Sept.  30,  1823.  "Voted  to  lay  out  a  road  from  the  meeting- 
house down  the  hill  to  the  old  road  between  William  Richardson's 
and  Joshua  Cleaves's  place." 

This  is  the  road  to  the  "Maple  Tree,"  probably,  striking  the 
road  which  led  easterly  to  Amherst,  and  westerly  to  Lyndeboro'. 

A  new  road  from  Amherst  to  Weare  was  built  in  1828.  It 
passes  through  the  entire  length  of  the  easterly  part  of  Mont  Vernon, 
and  its  construction  and  maintenance  have  been  a  heavy  burden  to 
this  town.  The  road  is  direct  from  Amherst  village  to  New  Boston 
village,  and  follows  the  stream  known  as  the  Quohquinnepassakessa- 
nanagnog  to  its  source. 

March  10,  1840.  Hiram  Perkins  having  presented  a  petition 
that  about  25  rods  of  the  road  south  of  his  house  (the  Woodbury 
place,  later  owned  and  occupied  by  Hiram  Perkins,  and  at  this  writing 
known  as  "the  Hearthstone)  be  discontinued,  and  a  new  road  be  laid 
out,  it  was  voted  to  discontinue  said  piece  of  road  and  lay  out  one 
on  the  north  of  his  house,  provided  said  Perkins  will  give  the  land 
and  wall  the  same  —  and  the  selectmen  were  authorized  to  lay  out 
the  same,  which  was  very  soon  done. 

In  1853  was  built  the  new  road  from  "the  Maple  tree"  to  Milford, 
a  direct  line  through  the  woods  and  passing  what  is  now  Hartshorn's 
Mill.  Formerly  to  get  to  Milford,  Mont  Vernon  people  had  to  go 
round  by  the  south  school-house,  and  the  Raymond  and  Hutchinson 
places.     The  new  road  is  much  shorter  and  easier. 


48  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

In  1878  the  town  built  from  the  corner  near  John  A.  Carleton's, 
in  the  southerly  part  of  the  town,  a  road  to  connect  with  the  road 
which  formerly  ended  at  Josiah  Swinington's.  A  new  road  was  also 
built  from  the  East  main  road  to  John  Elliot's. 

In  1890,  the  road  known  as  the  "'Boulevard''  was  built  from 
Main  Street  to  the  top  of  Prospect  Hill. 

In  1893  two  short  pieces  of  road  were  built.  The  first  one  began 
at  the  north  road  to  Amherst,  near  the  house  of  Edward  Hildreth, 
having  its  terminus  on  the  south  road  to  Amherst,  near  the  house  of 
Jesse  S.  Trow. 

The  second  one  beginning  on  the  Lyndeborough  road,  near  the 
house  of  Joseph  G.  Carleton,  formerly  the  John  A.  Carleton  place, 
extends  to  the  Purgatory  road,  near  the  foot  of  Harwood's  Hill,  form- 
ing with  its  connections  a  convenient  route  from  Mont  Vernon  to 
West  Milford  and  Wilton. 

From  the  foot  of  the  Harwood  hill  to  the  turnpike  or  Frances- 
town  road,  near  Coggin's  blacksmith  shop,  is  a  delightful  piece  of 
road  through  the  woods,  and  it  is  known  as  "Lovers'  Lane."  It  was 
built  in  1860. 

In  1903  a  piece  of  road  was  built  from  the  place  owned  by  Charles 
Blood,  just  off  the  road  to  New  Boston,  at  the  north-east  part  of  the 
town,  across  to  the  road  from  the  east  part  of  the  town  to  Joe  English 
Hill,  near  the  farm  now  owned  by  J.  F.  Best. 

NOTABLE  FACTS  AND  EVENTS 

In  the  winter  and  spring  of  1812  a  new  and  most  virulent  epi- 
demic, known  as  the  spotted  fever,  appeared.  Very  few  physicians 
could  treat  it  skilfully.  Its  attack  was  as  sudden  and  violent  as  the 
cholera  or  plague.  Its  progress  was  rapid,  and  it  terminated  fatally 
in  most  eases.  This  scourge  brought  death  into  many  families  in 
Mont  Vernon.  The  services  of  Dr.  Matthias  Spalding,  of  Amherst, 
who  was  credited  with  more  than  average  success  in  coping  with  this 
fearful  disease,  were  in  requisition  day  and  night  for  several  months. 

One  of  the  most  severe  tempests  ever  experienced  here  occurred 
on  the  22d  of  September,  1815.  It  began  at  11  :  30  a.  m.,  and  con- 
tinued with  great  violence  for  two  hours.  Trees  were  uprooted, 
fences  blown  down,  buildings  unroofed,  and  their  fragments  scattered 
in  all  directions.     No  lives  were  lost  here. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  49 

The  year  1816  was  remarkable  for  its  unusual  severity  of  weather. 
Snow  fell  every  month,  causing  light  crops. 

July  15,  1818.  This  day  was  of  unusual  darkness  in  New 
England,  probably  caused  by  the  uncommon  smoke  produced  by  the 
burning  of  woodlands  on  the  mountains,  and  of  brush  fires  in  all 
directions. 

1826  is  remembered  as  the  grasshopper  year.  So  plenty  were 
these  insects  that  they  devoured  every  green  thing.  In  some  places 
they  were  caught  in  nets  and  fed  to  the  hogs.  The  last  week  in  Au- 
gust a  great  rain  storm  occurred  which  largely  destroyed  them.  More 
water  fell  than  had  fallen  in  the  same  length  of  time  for  many  years. 
It  was  during  this  storm  that  the  White  Mountain  slide  took  place, 
by  which  the  Willey  family  were  destroyed.  It  was  a  year  of  disease 
and  death.  Whooping  cough,  measles,  and  an  epidemic  form  of 
dysentery  of  a  malignant  type  prevailed  through  this  county,  and 
swept  away  old  and  young. 

November  13,  1833,  there  occurred  the  grandest  meteoric  display 
•ever  witnessed  in  America,  at  half -past  five  in  the  morning.  Thou- 
sands of  meteors  might  be  seen  flying  in  every  direction  through  a 
clear,  unclouded  sky.  As  daylight  approached  they  appeared  less 
frequent,  but  they  were  seen  as  long  as  the  stars  were  visible. 

Three  severe  thunder  storms  occurred  June  30,  1841.  The 
second  of  these  was  accompanied  by  furious  wind  and  hail,  which  did 
an  immense  amount  of  damage.  Some  hailstones  were  as  large  as 
good  sized  hen's  eggs.  Nearly  ten  thousand  lights  of  glass  were 
broken  in  this  town  alone.  A  terribly  cold  storm  of  wind  and  snow 
occurred  June  11,  1842,  and  at  its  close,  snow  to  the  depth  of  four 
inches  covered  the  ground,  and  the  next  day  a  very  high  wind  pre- 
vailed, which  would  have  done  credit  to  November. 

The  latter  part  of  the  winter  of  1842-43  was  remarkably  long 
and  severe.  Sleighs  were  used  until  late  in  April,  and  on  the  17th  of 
that  month  snow  was  three  feet  deep  on  a  level.  There  was  very 
little  fruit  that  season. 

In  April,  1860,  the  tannery,  owned  by  Starrett  and  Kittredge, 
was  entirely  destroyed  by  fire. 

In  August,  1H64,  the  spacious  fancy  box  shop  of  II.  II.  Bragg 
was  destroyed  by  fire  and  not  rebuilt. 

October  3,  1869.  There  had  been  no  rain  of  any  consequence  for 
nearly  three  months.  Seven  or  eight  inches  of  water  fell  October  3d 
and  4th,  doing  a  great  amount  of  damage,  entirely  destroying  the  mill 


50  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

of  Arthur  A.  Trow  and  Daniel  W.  Trow  in  the  southerly  part  of  the 
town,  also  rendering  the  old  turnpike  road  and  several  hillside  roads 
impassable.  Neighboring  towns  suffered  more  than  Mont  Vernon. 
The  damage  done  in  this  town  was  between  two  and  three  thousand 
dollars. 

In  July,  1879,  the  steam  mill  of  Trask  W.  Averill,  on  the  old 
tannery  site,  was  burned. 

Sept.  5,  1881,  occurred  what  has  generally  been  known  as  the 
"Yellow  Day."  It  grew  very  dark  after  the  morning  had  passed, 
and  the  atmosphere  had  a  brazen  appearance.  The  Rev.  C.  C.  Car- 
penter was  then  pastor  of  the  church,  and  on  that  day  attended  a 
meeting  of  the  Ilollis  Association  of  Ministers  at  New  Ipswich.  In 
writing  about  it  to  the  Farmer's  Cabinet,  he  says  :  ''The  wonder  of  the 
day  was  the  brazen  sky  above,  the  tinted  world  beneath,  and  the  mid- 
day darkness,  which  compelled  the  lighting  of  lamps.  The  Association 
actually  dined  with  two  full-burning  "student"  lamps  on  the  table,  at 
half-past  one  o'clock  p.  m.,  and  it  was  not  a  light  dinner  even  then." 
Whether  the  darkness  was  due  to  prevalent  fires  in  the  woods,  oa 
some  other  cause,  is  not  known.  The  darkness  was  reported  over  a 
considerable  area.  On  the  ponds  and  streams  of  New  Hampshire 
and  Massachusetts  was  found  a  yellow  deposit,  which  some  took  for 
sulphur,  and  others  said  it  was  a  substance  like  pollen,  and  came  from 
certain  trees,  but  it  does  not  appear  what  trees  would  be  in  blossom 
and  in  a  stage  to  supply  pollen  so  late  in  the  season. 

In  the  winter  of  1880-1881  the  stage  went  "on  runners"  to  Mil- 
ford  105  days,  and  on  roads  north  of  the  village  there  was  continuous 
sleighing  for  120  days. 

November  27,  1881.  The  horsesheds  were  partially  destroyed 
by  fire,  the  old  meeting-house  and  the  parsonage  narrowly  escaping 
destruction.     The  horsesheds  were  rebuilt  the  next  year. 

July  8,  1882.  Telephonic  communication  established.  There 
never  was  a  telegraphic  service,  all  messages  having  to  be  brought 
up  from  or  sent  to  Milford.  The  telephone  enabled  the  sending  of 
messages  to  Milford,  and  thence  by  telegraph  elsewhere. 

[October,  1905.  Local  telephones  put  in,  there  being  about  a 
dozen  subscribers,  affording  facilities  for  communicating  with  other 
parts  of  the  town,  or  with  other  towns,  without  rendering  it  necessary 
for  those  having  telephones  to  go  to  the  store  which  was  the  central 
"pay  station."  Before  this  the  only  telephones  in  the  village  were 
in  the  store  and  the  Grand  Hotel.] 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  51 

March  23,  1883.  W.  II.  Conant's  box-shop  (standing  where 
store  now  stands)  and  Peter  F.  Pike's  house  adjoining,  burned. 
The  box-shop  was  formerly  Hollis's  boot  and  shoe  shop. 

October  27,  1883.  William  G-.  Bruce,  aged  64,  accidentally 
shot  himself  in  taking  his  gun  from  his  wagon,  while  on  a  hunting 
expedition  in  New  Boston. 

October,  1883.  T.  H.  Richardson's  store,  the  only  one  then  in 
the  village,  which  stood  at  the  junction  of  the  old  turnpike  and  the 
main  street,  in  front  of  the  Hotel  Bellevne,  and  ta  the  corner  of  the 
village  Park,  was  moved  to  the  site  of  W.  H.  Conant's  box-shop, 
where  it  now  (1905)   stands. 

October,  1883.  The  Park  was  graded  by  the  Village  Improve- 
ment Association. 

January  10,  1884.  The  Capt.  Timothy  Kittredge  house,  the 
old  Kittredge  homestead,  (owned  by  Dr.  Charles  M.  Kittredge), 
destroyed  by  lire. 

June  17,  1884.  New  school-house  in  the  South  District  dedi- 
cated, with  historical  address  b}7  the  Hon.  Charles  J.  Smith,  and  a 
poem  written  by  Mrs.  Emily  Dodge  Simpson  of  New  York,  daughter 
of  Henry  C.  Dodge,  and  in  girlhood  a  pupil  of  the  school. 

June,  1884.  Granite  watering  trough  set  up  at  the  old  well 
near  the  site  of  the  store  at  northwest  corner  of  the  Park,  the  gift  of 
C.  Amory  Stevens,  of  New  York,  son  of  Calvin  Stevens,  and  grand- 
son of  Asa  Stevens. 

April  27,  1885.  Woods  Brothers,  (John  A.  and  Willard  P.), 
sons  of  Walter  Woods,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Paper  Mill 
Village  in  New  Boston,  succeeded  Thomas  Haskell  Richardson,  in 
the  village  store.  Mr.  Richardson,  who  always  was  called  by  his 
second  name.  "Haskell"  Richardson  or  by  his  initials,  "T.  H."  Rich- 
ardson, began  trade  in  a  very  small  way  in  the  old  box-shop  of 
Deacon  William  Conant,  which  was  situated  on  the  other  side  of  the 
street  nearly  opposite.  He  bought  out  J.  E.  Bruce,  who  traded  at 
the  store  situated  then  near  what  is  now  the  Park,  about  1847,  and 
remained  in  trade  till  this  date  after  the  store  was  moved  to  where  it 
now  stands. 

June  14,  1886.  The  Park  was  laid  out  with  walks,  trees  were 
set  out,  and  the  Village  Improvement  Society  determined  to  raise 
money  to  build  a  summer  house  on  the  Park,  which  was  put  up  the 
next  May. 

April  25,  1887.     John  M.  Fox  &  Co.  (the  "Co."  being  the    son 


52  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

William  P.)  bought  out  Woods  Brothers  (John  and  Willard  P.) 

June  15,  1888.  The  Dr.  Daniel  Adams  House  struck  by  light- 
ning and  burned. 

March  7,  1888.  Dwelling  house  in  south  part  of  town,  owned 
by  Elmer  E.  Carlton  destroyed  by  fire. 

April  16.  Residence,  barn  and  shed  of  Milton  W.  Wallace  and 
Asa  Carson,  being  the  old  Upton  place  on  Beech  Hill,  destroyed  by 
fire. 

April  7.  Store  of  John  M.  Fox  entered,  and  $100  worth  of 
goods  and  $15  worth  of  postage  stamps  stolen. 

May.  Village  drain  running  from  the  bog  hole  in  rear  of  the 
Tabitha  Stevens  residence  across  to  Campbell  hill,  down  through  the 
Bragg  field,  and  under  the  old  Baker  store,  (then  the  old  Hillsborough 
house)  under  the  park,  completed.  This  drain  was  made  as  a  sani- 
tary measure,  but  it  was  never  adequate,  and  the  assessments  levied 
as  for  betterments  on  account  of  it  caused  much  dissatisfaction,  and 
were  never  fully  collected. 

June  29,  1889.  Dr.  Frederick  Chandler  assumed  office  of  post- 
master. 

September,  1889.  The  three  cottages  on  the  hill  where  the 
Grand  hotel  was  erected  later  on,  then  belonging  respectively  to 
Frank  Marden,  Mrs.  Lauretta  E.  Phillips,  and  John  A.  Spalding  of 
Nashua,  in  process  of  erection. 

October  1,  1889.  Hotel  Bellevue  leased  to  Willard  P.  Woods, 
by  George  E.  Boutell,  the  owner. 

Stage  and  mail  route  from  Milford  to  Mont  Vernon  and  North 
Lyndeboro  purchased  by  Elmer  E.  Smith  of  Hillsboro.  Mr.  Smith 
also  bought  out  Mr.  Walter  Woods,  who  had  been  proprietor  of  the 
stage  line  for  17  years. 

The  Dr.  J.  K.  Smith  house,  next  to  the  old  Baker  store,  pur- 
chased by  Elbridge  F.  Trow,  and  occupied  by  John  M.  Fox. 

August,  1890.  Dr.  F.  Chandler  resigned  as  postmaster,  and 
sold  his  real  estate  to  John  M.  Fox.  It  was  the  house  next  south  of 
the  Bellevue,  and  is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Fox,  although  from  1900  to 
1904  Mr.  Fox  resided  and  conducted  a  grocery  business  in  Roches- 
ter, N.  H.     He  returned  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1904. 

December,  1890.  Elmer  E.  Smith  sold  out  his  mail  route  con- 
tract and  stage  line  to  Willard  P.  Woods. 

June  17,  1892.  Barn  on  the  William  G.  Bruce  place  struck  by 
lightning  and  entirely  consumed. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  53 

April  13.  O.  W.  Rattles  sold  liis  farm  and  removed  to  Sequa- 
chee,  Tenn. 

Alonzo  Winn  sold  bis  farm  and  removed  to  Wilton. 

September,  1892.  William  E.  Robinson  harvested  1000  baskets 
of  peaches  from  his  orchard  of  300  trees. 

Alonzo  Travis'  cottage  and  barn  sold  to  Dea.  William  H.  Conant. 
This  cottage  stood  on  the  main  village  street,  next  above  the 
McCollom  Institute.  It  was  moved  back,  facing  the  road  across 
from  the  main  street  to  the  old  turnpike,  and  a  fine  new  house  was 
erected  on  its  former  site,  which  up  to  this  time  (1905)  has  been  oc- 
cupied by  W.  H.  Conant  and  his  family. 

December  31.  W.  F.  Pinkham  presented  a  piano  to  Prospect 
Grange  (Patrons  of  Husbandry)  and  to  the  Congregational  Society 
for  their  joint  use. 

January  20,  1903.  Mont  Vernon  post-office  made  a  money- 
order  office. 

September  15,  1893.  W.  P.  Woods  sold  stage  route  to  Herbert 
C.  Dickey,  of  Manchester. 

May  13,  1896.  A  supplemental  grading-bee  for  new  church 
ground. 

May  15,  1896.  Conant  Hall  destroyed  by  fire — cause  unknown. 
It  burned  about  9  o'clock  p.  m. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

List  of  Ministers — List  of  Deacons — Ministers  Called  bit  who 
Did  not  Come — Sketches  of  the  Eighteen  Ministers  who 
Served — First  Pastor,  Rev.  John  Bruce — Revival — Second 
Pastor,  Rev.  Stephen  Chap-in — Resignation  of  Mr.  Chapin — 
Salary  of  Mr.  Chapin — Opposition  to  a  Baptist  Meeting — 
Third  Pastor,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Cheever — Fourth  Pastor, 
Rev.  Nathaniel  Kingsbury—  Revival  Days —Temperance  Re- 
form— Fifth  Pastor,  Rev.  Edwin  Jennison — Confession  of 
Faith — Removal  of  Church  Edifice — The  Slavery  Question 
— Retirement  of  Rev.  Mr.  Jennison — Sixth  Pastor,  Rev. 
Bezaleel  Smith — Seventh  Pastor,  Rev.  Charles  D.  Herbert 
— Eighth  Pastor,  Rev.  Charles  E.  Lord — Ninth  Pastor, 
Rev.  George  E.  Sanp.orne — Attitude  of  Mont  Vernon  Cler- 
gymen in  Civil  War — Tenth  Pastor,  Rev.  Benson  M.  Frink 
— Erection  of  Parsonage — Eleventh  Pastor,  Rev.  Seth  H. 
Keeler,  D.D. — Twelfth  Pastor,  Rev.  William  H.  AVood- 
well — Thirteenth  Pastor,  Rev.  Charles  C.  Carpenter — 
Fourteenth  Pastor,  Rev.  Richard  H.  McGown — Fifteenth 
Pastor,  Rev.  John  Thorpe — Sixteenth  Pastor,  Rev.  Thomas 
J.  Lewis — Seventeenth  Pastor,  Rev.  Donald  Browne — 
Eighteenth  Pastor,  Rev.  Henry  Porter  Peck. 

THE  troubles  and  dissensions  which  the  people  of  the  Northwest 
Parish,  now  the  town  of  Mont  Vernon,  had  with  the  Amherst  church, 
which  led  to  the  formation  of  a  new  religious  society,  and  subsequent- 
ly to  the  erection  of  a  new  town,  have  been  described  in  the  chapters 
on  "Early  History  and  Early  Settlers"  and  "Conditions  Preliminary 
to  Separation  From  the  Parent  Town,"  as  has  also  the  early  ecclesias- 
tical history  of  the  only  church  in  Mont  Vernon. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  55 

LIST  OF  MINISTERS. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  ministers  who  have  preached  for  any 
length  of  time  in  Mont  Vernon  since  the  organization  of  the  church 
in  1780.  There  having  been  but  the  one  church  organization,  it  is  a 
simple  matter  to  make  a  record  of  its  pastors,  and  it  is  clear,  all  the 
way  through  this  history,  that  whenever  the  church  is  referred  to,  the 
First  (and  only)  Congregational  church  of  Mont  Vernon  is  meant. 

From  the  organization  of  the  church  in  1780,  to  1782,  there  ap- 
parently was  not  a  "stated  supply"  for  the  pulpit.  August  29,  1782, 
a  "Mr. -Powers"  was  invited  to  supply  for  a  year. 

In  1783  a  "Mr.  Allen"  is  said  to  have  been  called  to  supply  for 
a  year.  Then  a  Mr.  Samuel  Sargent  was  invited  to  settle,  but 
declined. 

After  this  came  the  following  succession  of  ministers,  all  of  them 
supposedly  having  been  duly  "settled"  over  the  parish  by  ordination 
or  installation,  down  to  Rev.  Dr.  Keeler's  time.  Since  then  Rev. 
Mr.  Carpenter  and  Rev.  Mr.  McGown  are  the  only  ones  who  were 
installed. 

Rev.  John  Bruce  began  preaching  in  1784,  was  ordained  Nov. 
3,  1785,  and  died  while  in  service,  March  12,  1809,  aged  51. 

Rev.  Stephen  Chapin,  D.D.,  installed  Nov.  15,  1809;  dismissed, 
at  his  own  request,  Nov.  18,  1818. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  Cheever,  ordained  Dec.  8,  1819  ;  dismissed  April 
8,  1823. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  Kingsbury,  ordained  Nov.  8,  1823;  dismissed 
April  6,  183G;  died  July  12,  1843,  aged  49. 

Rev.  Edwin  Jennison,  installed  April  6,  1836  ;  dismissed  Aug. 
19,  1841  (on  account  of  ill  health)  ;  died  at  Conway,  Mass.,  Dec1.  25, 
1887. 

Rev.  Bezaleel  Smith,  installed  Aug.  19,  1841 ;  dismissed  April 
30,  1850;  died  at  Randolph,  Vt.,  May  15,  1879. 

Rev.  Charles  D.  Herbert  began  preaching  July  5,  1850 ;  in- 
stalled Nov.  6,  1850;  dismissed  July  21,  1856;  died  at  Hebron,  N. 
Y.,  Oct.  13,  1893,  aged  75. 

Rev.  Chas.  E.  Lord  began  preaching  Oct.  1,  1856;  installed 
Feb.  4,  1857  ;  dismissed  April  2,  1861 ;  died  at  Newburyport,  Mass., 
Feb.  19,  1902,  aged  90. 

Rev.  George  E.  Sanborne,  installed  April  2,  1862;  dismissed 
May  29,  1865;  died  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  Jan.  7,  1900. 


56  HISTORY  OP  MONT  VERNON. 

Rev.  Benson  M.  Frink,  installed  Nov.  1,  1865;  dismissed  Nov. 
1,  1867.  Living  (June,  1905)  at  West  Brookfield,  Mass.,  but  not 
settled  in  any  pastorate. 

Rev.  Seth  H.  Keeler,  D.D.,  began  preaching  Jau.  9,  1868;  dis- 
missed Sept.  24,  1875;  died  at  Somerville,  Mass.,  Dec.  26,  1896, 
aged  86. 

Rev.  Wm.  H.  Woodwell,  began  preaching  Nov.  1,  1875;  closed 
his  service  March  28,  1880.  Now  (June,  1905)  living  at  Seabrook, 
N.  H. 

Rev.  Charles  C.  Carpenter,  began  preaching  Nov.  1,  1880;  in- 
stalled July  12,  1881 ;  dismissed  Sept.  19,  1885.  Now  (June, -1905) 
living  at  Andover,  Mass. 

Rev.  Richard  H.  McGown,  began  preaching  Jan.  10,  1886 ;  in- 
stalled June  23,  1886 ;  dismissed  Feb.  28,  1888.  Died  at  Everett, 
Mass.,  April  1,  1900. 

Rev.  John  Thorpe  preached  for  the  first  time  April  15,  1888  ; 
May  18,  same  year,  accepted  engagement  to  preach  as  supply ;  and 
served  till  Sept.  1,  1894.  Now  (June,  1905)  pastor  of  Congrega- 
tional church  at  Center  Harbor,  N.  H. 

Rev.  Thomas  J.  Lewis  began  preaching  as  supply  Nov.  11,  1894  ; 
and  closed  his  labors  at  Mont  Vernon  Dec.  5,  1897.  Now  (June, 
1905)  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Conway,  N.  H. 

Rev.  Donald  Browne  began  preaching  in  November,  1898,  and 
ceased  service  in  November,  1900.  Now  (June  1905)  he  is  serving 
as  rector  of  an  Episcopal  church  at  South  Groveland,  Mass. 

Rev.  Henry  Porter  Peck  assumed  the  duties  of  pastor  Jan.  1, 
1901,  and  still  continues  (June,  1905). 

DEACONS. 

It  seems  to  be  impossible  to  secure  the  full  details  as  to  the  dates 
of  appointment  and  terms  of  service  of  all  those  who  have  been  dea- 
cons of  the  church  at  Mont  Vernon.  It  is  probable  that  the  following 
list  comprises  all  who  have  been  deacons,  however,  and  the  dates  of 
appointment  are  nearly  all  given,  but  only  a  part  of  the  dates  of  res- 
ignation or  death.  Doubtless  most  of  the  deacons  served  as  long  as 
they  lived,  the  office  having  a  life  tenure.  The  following  names  are 
taken  from  a  list  published  in  the  Mont  Vernon  Annual  Church  and 
Town  Record  for  1891 : 

Between  1780  and  1795,   Oliver  Carlton,   Nathaniel  Hey  wood, 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  57 

and  Richard  Ward  are  supposed  to  have  been  the  deacons.  From 
that  time  on,  the  appointments  are  on  record : 

Appointed  March  28,  1794,  John  Carlton,  Ezekiel  Upton,  Daniel 
Smith. 

Appointed  October,  1800,  John  Carlton,  Jacob  Kendall. 

Appointed  May  27,  1817,  Jonathan  S.  Adams. 

Appointed  April  27,  1820,  John  Bruce;  died  Jan.  19,  1872, 
aged  83. 

Appointed  April,  1829,  Josiah  Kittredge  2d. 

Appointed  Aug.  31,  1832,  William  Conant;  resigned  Aug  15, 
1875;  died  at  Somerville,  Mass.,  Feb.  20,  1890. 

Appointed  Nov.  10,  1836,  Joseph  A.  Starrett;  resigned  March, 
1858;  died  May  22,  1895,  aged  89  years,  9  months. 

Appointed  April  4,  1858,  Geo.  E.  Dean.     Died  Feb.  26,  1891. 

Appointed  Aug.  22,  1875,  William  H.  Conant;  died  May  19, 
1903. 

Appointed  May  2,  1889,  Geo.  G.  Batchelder;  died  Jan.  8,  1896. 

Appointed  October  29,  1891,  Maj.  Charles  F.  Stinson  and  Wil- 
liam H.  Kendall.  Major  Stinson  died  March  10,  1893,  aged  52 
years,  5  months.     Deacon  Kendall  is  still  serving  (1905). 

Appointed  April,  1899,  Jay  M.  Gleason;  still  serving  (1905). 

SKETCHES  OF  THE  MINISTERS. 

Concerning  the  temporary  ministers,  who  preceded,  or  were 
asked  to  precede,  Rev.  Mr.  Bruce,  the  following  facts  are  furnished 
by  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter : 

"Mr.  Powers,  who  was  called  to  supply  for  the  year  1782,  was 
doubtless  Rev.  Peter  Powers,  son  of  Capt.  Peter  Powers,  first  settler 
of  Hollis  ;  was  born  in  old  Dunstable,  Nov.  29,  1729,  and  came  to 
the  Hollis  part  of  Dunstable  in  1730 ;  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1754, 
the  first  college  graduate  from  Hollis.  In  1764  was  settled  in  Haver- 
hill, N.  H.,  and  Newbury,  Vt.,  on  opposite  sides  of  the  Connecticut. 
The  towns  were  opposite  in  sentiment,  as  in  location,  and  didn't  agree 
in  politics.  Powers  was  a  "high  whig,"  and  was  persona  non  grata 
to  the  Newbury  folk;  removed  to  Haverhill  in  1781,  in  spring.  Con- 
tinued to  preach  a  year  or  two,  and  dismissed  sometime  in  17X2. 
He  soon  after  settled  in  Deer  Isle,  Maine.  I  find  no  hint  of  his 
going  to  Mont  Vernon,  but  it  is  very  probable  that  he  would  have 
been  the  likely  man  to  be  called  at  just  that  time,  because  he  was  just 


58  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

getting  through  at  Newbury  and  Haverhill,  and  because  as  a  Hollis 
man  he  would  be  well  known  in  Amherst.  I  do  not  understand  that 
he  actually  preached  in  Mont  Vernon,  only  was  asked  to  do  so." 

"The  Mr.  Allen  of  the  1783  call,  was  presumably  Ebenezer  Allen, 
born  in  Martha's  Vineyard  in  1746,  graduated  from  Harvard  in  1771. 
He  was  settled  in  Wolfeboro  in  1792.  When  he  came  there  he  had 
recommendations  from  ministers  in  Andover,  Haverhill,  Plaistow, 
Stratham,  etc.,  showing  that  he  was  known  all  about,  and  was  per- 
haps seeking  a  parish  in  New  Hampshire  about  those  days." 

"I  find  no  Samuel  Sargent  to  answer  the  demand  of  the  '83  man 
at  all,  which  is  singular,  as  it  is  a  familiar  New  Hampshire  name, 
although  not  perhaps  in  the  ministerial  line." 

The  First  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  John  Bruce,  who  ministered  to 
Mont  Vernon  church  from  1784  until  his  sudden  death  of  apoplexy 
March  12,  1809.  He  was  born  in  Marlborough,  Massachusetts,  Au- 
gust 31,  1757,  and  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1781. 

The  following  is  an  interesting  extract  from  the  records  of  the 
Second  Parish  of  Amherst : 

Second  Parish  of  Amherst,  N.  H.,  Dec.  29,  1784. 

At  a  legal  meeting-,  duly  warned,  voted  to  concur  with  the  Church 
in  giving"  Mr.  John  Bruce  a  call  to  settle  in  the  gospell  ministry  in  this 
Parish. 

Voted  to  give  him  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  Incouragement 
as  settlement. 

Voted  to  give  Mr.  Bruce  sixty  Pounds  sallery  and  twenty  cord  of 
wood  annually,  as  long  as  he  carry's  on  the  gospel  ministry  in  this 
place,  and  if  in  case  he  should  be  disinabled  to  carry  on  the  work  of 
ministry  by  Infirmness  of  Body  or  old  age,  to  give  him  thirty  pounds', 
and  twenty  cords  of  wood  annually  as  long  as  he  remains  our  Minister. 

Of  the  first  ten  and  last  eight  years  of  his  pastorate  there  are  no 
church  records.  A  list  of  the  members  of  the  church,  in  Mr.  Brace's 
hand-writing,  about  1798,  makes  its  membership  one  hundred  and 
ten.  The  next  fifty  were  added  by  profession.  This  revival  was  the 
first  known  in  this  section,  and  it  awakened  much  interest  far  and 
near. 

In  1809  there  were  printed  by  Richard  Boylston  (Farmers'  Cab- 
inet Press),  Amherst,  in  a  small  pamphlet,  a  copy  of  which  is  extant, 
two  sermons  preached  at  Mont  Vernon  by  the  Rev.  Stephen  Chapin, 
Mr.  Brace's  successor,  the  second  Sabbath  after  his  installation,  Nov. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  59 

2<>,  l^O'J,  from  the  text,  "Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ, 
as  thoiigli  (lo<l  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we  piny  you  in  Christ's  stead 
be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  The  title  page  bears  the  subject,  "On  the 
duties  of  an  ambassador  of  Christ,"  and  "Published  by  desire." 
Doubtless  one  sermon  was  preached  in  the  forenoon  and  the  other  in 
the  afternoon. 

In  the  same  pamphlet  appears  a  considerable  sketch  "On  the 
Life  and  Character  of  the  Rev.  .John  Bruce,  by  A  Parishioner,"  from 
which  the  following  is  condensed  : 

The  Rev.  .lohn  Bruce  was  born  in  Marleborough,  Massachusetts, 

August  31,  17o7,  of  respectable  and  pious  parents.  He  lost  his 
mother  at  the  age  of  seven.  His  father  was  a  farmer.  He  fitted  for 
college  in  some  school  not  named  in  the  sketch,  and  entered  Dart- 
mouth College  in  1777,  and  graduated  in  1781,  and  "by  his  teachable 
disposition,  gentleness  of  manners,  mild,  serious  and  dutiful  behavior 
in  all  respects,  lie  obtained,  it  is  said  from  the  highest  authority  of  the 
college,  the  distinguishing  appellation  of  'the  good  Mr.  Bruce.'"  He 
afterwards  received  from  his  alma  mater  the  degree  of  M.  A.  Soon 
after  leaving  college  he  began  the  study  of  divinity,  and  in  due  time 
was  licensed  to  preach.  After  preaching  on  probation  for  several 
years  in  various  places,  and  a  sufficient  time  in  the  Second  Parish  of 
Amherst,  New  Hampshire,  now  Mont  Vernon,  he  received  and  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  the  pastoral  care  of  the  church  and  congregation  in 
that  place,  and  was  ordained  Nov.  3,  17<S5.  On  the  15th  of  December 
following  he  married  Lois  Wilkins  of  Marleborough,  whom  he  left 
a  widowed  mother  of  six  children.  He  continued  with  faithfulness 
to  fulfil  the  various  duties  of  his  sacred  ollice,  from  the  time  of  his 
ordination  till  his  death,  a  period  of  twenty-three  years  and  four 
months. 

"His  constitution  was  not  firm  and  robust,  being  probably 
enervated  by  study  and  a  sedentary  life,  although  his  stature  was 
considerably  above  the  middle  size,  well  proportioned,  and  of  an  ath- 
letic appearance.  For  several  years  before  his  death,  his  health 
sensibly  decayed,  and  for  more  than  one  year  he  was  aftlicted  with 
almost  a  total  blindness  of  one  eye,  which  necessitated  him  to  extem- 
porize in  his  public  discourses,  instead  of  using  notes,  which  had  been 
his  custom.  On  Saturday  morning,  March  11,  180!),  he  arose  early, 
as  was  his  usual  practice,  and  complained  of  a  slight  headache,  which 
however,  he  mentioned  but  once,  and  appeared  as  usual  till  he  sat 
down  to  breakfast.  He  had  taken  but  little  food;  when  he  was 
suddenly  attacked  with  a  Hemiplegia,  or  palsy  of  the  right  side, 
accompanied  with  an  entire  loss  of  reason  and  alarming  symptoms  of 
apoplexy.  Medical  aid  was  immediately  called  in,  but  in  vain.  The 
lethargic  and  apoplectic  symptoms,  in  defiance  to  every  exertion  to 
procure  relief,  continued  to  grow  more  profound,  and  to  assume  a 
more  threatening  aspect,  till  nearly  three  o'clock  on  Sunday  morning, 


60  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

when  he  slept  the  sleep  of  death.  Thus  ended  the  life  of  this  excellent 
man ;  thus  sadden  and  unexpected,  though  insensible  to  the  pangs  of 
dissolving  nature,  was  his  transit  to  eternity. 

kiHe  was  meek,  pious  and  humble;  kind,  gentle,  and  easy  to  be 
entreated  He  'became  all  things  to  all  men,  that  if  possible  he  might 
gain  some;'  while  at  the  same  time  he  steadfastly  adhered  to  kthe 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.'  He  possessed  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree that  charity  which  'suffereth  long  and  is  kind,'  which  'beareth  all 
things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things.' 
But  the  most  distinguishing  traits  in  his  character,  next  to  his  love  of 
piety  and  religion,  were  prudence  and  a  peaceable  disposition.  He 
was  prudent  and  discreet  in  all  things,  and  eminently  entitled  to  the 
appellation  of  a  peace-maker.  These  virtues  were  so  conspicuously 
displayed  by  him,  that  he  had  not  a  personal  enemy  in  the  world,  but 
all  who  knew  esteemed  and  revered  him.  As  a  husband  he  was 
faithful,  affectionate,  tender,  and  sincere.  As  a  parent  he  was  kind, 
indulgent,  and  anxiously  solicitous  for  the  temporal,  but  chiefly  for 
the  eternal,  well-being  of  his  children.  As  a  neighbor  he  was  friendly 
and  hospitable ;  as  a  citizen  patriotic,  and  friendly ;  as  a  man,  in  all 
respects,  a  true  and  sincere  christian." 

The  sons,  John,  James,  William  and  Nathaniel,  were  heads  of 
families,  all  worthy  citizens,  and  lifelong  residents  of  Mont  Vernon. 
Their  united  ages  at  their  decease  were  three  hundred  and  twenty-two 
years. 

The  Second  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  Stephen  Chapin,  who  on  the 
decease  of  Mr.  Bruce,  immediately  received  a  call  from  this  church, 
but  was  not  installed  until  November  15,  1809.  Born  at  Milford, 
Massachusetts,  in  1788,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  in  1804,  a  pupil  in 
divinity  with  the  famous  Dr.  Nathaniel  Emmons,  of  Franklin, 
Massachusetts,  his  first  settlement  was  in  the  neighboring  town 
of  Hillsborough,  four  years,  from  1805  to  1809.  Mr.  Chapin  was 
a  man  of  positive  conviction,  and  bold,  unadorned,  and  uncom- 
promising in  his  style  of  preaching.  His  earnest,  able  preach- 
ing, and  stringent  discipline  made  a  deep  impression  upon  his 
people.  During  a  pastorate  of  nine  years  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
were  added  to  the  church.  On  one  Sabbath  in  1817,  fifty-one  con- 
verts were  received  into  fellowship.  While  all  hearts  were  completely 
united  in  him,  the  day  of  separation  came  from  a  quarter  least 
expected.  In  October,  1818,  the  pastor  suddenly  announced  a  change 
in  his  views  respecting  the  mode  aud  subjects  of  baptism.  He  was 
a  man  sincere  and  true,  and  conscientiously  embraced  Calvinistic 
Baptist  views.     He  at  once  resigned  his  pastorate  here,  and  was  dis- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  61 

missed  in  November,  1818.  After  a  three  years'  pastorate  as  a 
Baptist  clergyman  at  North  Yarmouth,  Maine,  he  was,  in  1822,  called 
to  a  professorship  at  Waterville  College,  Maine,  and  thence  to  the 
presidency  of  Columbia  College  at  Washington,  D.  C,  which  he 
occupied  for  many  years.  The  salary  of  Mr.  Chapin  was  stipulated 
at  four  hundred  dollars  per  annum,  and  if,  from  any  cause,  he  was 
unable  to  preach,  no  abatement,  unless  such  absence  exceeded  six 
weeks. 

Relative  to  the  great  revival  of  1817,  the  Farmers'  Cabinet  of 
Oct.  25,  1817,  had  au  editorial  commenting  on  a  meeting  held  on  the 
previous  Thursday,  at  which  fifty-one  persons  came  forward  for  ad- 
mission to  the  chufch,  the  fruits  of  the  revival  which  had  been  going 
on  the  past  summer.  "We  have,"  said  the  editor,  "seldom  witnessed 
a  scene  more  solemn  and  interesting." 

About  1821  a  Baptist  meeting  was  appointed  at  the  red  school- 
house  in  the  Center  District.  This  would  have  a  divisive  tendency. 
One  morning  Dea.  John  Carlton,  a  staunch  Congregationalist,  whose 
self-appointed  function  was  to  protect  the  fold  from  intrusion,  was 
heard,  before  the  regular  church  meeting  commenced,  haranguing  a 
company  of  his  brethren  in  front  of  the  old  yellow  church  in  this  wise  : 
"If  so  be  that  our  minister  preaches  the  gospel,  we  have  the  gospel. 
If  so  be  he  preaches  not  the  gospel,  we  want  not  the  gospel." 

The  Third  Pastor,  called  after  an  interval  of  a  little  more  than 
a  year  from  Mr.  Chapin's  dismissal,  was  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Cheever, 
a  native  of  Reading,  Vermont,  a  graduate  of  Bowdoin  College.  He 
was  ordained  December  8,  1819.  He  continued  pastor  till  April  8, 
1823,  with  an  addition  to  the  church  in  the  meantime  of  twenty-two 
members.  He  baptized  thirty-nine  children  in  less  than  three  years. 
In  the  spring  of  1820  the  first  Sabbath  School  was  organized  here, 
being  held  in  the  school- house  and  composed  exclusively  of  children. 

The  Fourth  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Kingsbury,  from 
Connecticut,  and  a  graduate  of  Amherst  College,  who  commenced  his 
labors  two  weeks  after  Mr.  Cheever's  dismissal.  He  was  ordained 
November  8,  1823,  and  dismissed  April  6,  1836.  The  following 
were  the  exercises  at  his  ordination :  Ordaining  Prayer,  Rev.  E.  P. 
Bradford,  New  Boston ;  Sermon,  Rev.  Chancy  Booth,  of  Coventry, 
Connecticut;  Consecrating  Prayer,  Rev.  Moses  Bradford,  Frances- 
town;    Charge,    Rev.    Humphrey    Moore,    Milford;     Fellowship   of 


62  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Churches,  Rev.  N.  Merrill,  Lyndeborough ;  Address  to  Congrega- 
tion, Rev.  E.  P.  Bradford,  New  Boston ;  Concluding  Prayer,  Rev. 
Nathan  Lord,  Amherst.  Hon.  C.  Claggett,  of  Amherst,  and  Sol  K. 
Livermore,  of  Milford,  were  members  of  the  ordaining  council. 

Mr.  Kingsbury  removed  West  and  died  some  years  since  in  Wis- 
consin. He  was  not  a  man  of  marked  ability,  but  his  ministry  here 
was  prosperous,  and  during  it  one  huudred  and  fifty-four  were  received 
into  the  church.  Two  periods  of  peculiar  interest  occurred,  the 
former  in  1828,  when  thirty-four  were  added,  the  latter  in  1831,  when 
nearly  sixty  united  by  profession. 

These  were  revival  days  when  the  ministers  aided  each  other  in 
what  were  called  "protracted  meetings,"  which  were  often  seasons  of 
thrilling  interest  and  great  power.  Never  before  nor  since,  has  this 
church  been  the  scene  of  such  religious  activity,  scenes  still  living 
vividly  in  the  remembrance  of  some  among  us. 

It  was  in  1830,  during  Mr.  Kingsbury's  pastorate,  that  the  tem- 
perance reform  began  in  the  church,  and  was  vigorously  and  steadily 
prosecuted  outside  until  it  expelled  liquors  from  the  town.  The  youth 
of  the  present  day  can  hardly  imagine  the  condition  of  this  small 
community,  with  eight  tavern  licenses  signed  in  a  single  year.  In 
some  places  they  sold  a  hogshead  of  liquor  a  month ;  and  though  but 
a  small  portion  of  this  quantity  was  dispensed  to  residents,  it  was 
enough  to  alarm  the  thoughtful  and  virtuous.  At  that  period  two 
public  roads  led  northward,  through  different  sections  of  the  town. 
They  were  thoroughfares  thronged  with  light  and  heavy  travel.  At 
all  hours  of  the  day  lines  of  canvas-covered  six-horse  merchandise 
wagons  might  be  seen  bearing  their  heavy  freight  from  and  to  the 
seaboard.  To  modify  and  control  public  opinion  was  no  easy  matter, 
work  which  required  strong  heads  and  true  hands.  Dr.  Daniel  Adams 
may  be  named  as  one  early  prominent  in  this  movement  of  philan- 
thropy. He  delivered  convincing  and  effective  addresses  on  this 
subject  in  this  and  other  towns. 

The  Fifth  Pastor,  Rev.  Edwin  Jennison,  was  born  in  Wal- 
pole,  N.  H.,  August  26,  1805,  being  the  son  of  Maj.  William  and 
Phebe  (Field)  Jennison.  He  fitted  for  college  at  Alstead,  N.  H., 
and  Windsor,  Vt.,  and  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1827  ;  and 
at  Andover,  (Mass.),  Theological  Seminary  in  1830.  August  16, 
1831,  he  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  in  his 
native  town,  and  was  dismissed  therefrom  March  18,  1*35.      He  was 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  63 

called  to  the  church  at  Mont  Vernon  to  succeed  the  Rev.  Nathaniel 
Kingsbury,  and  was  installed  April  6,  1836.  The  installing  prayer 
was  by  the  Rev.  A.  Burgess,  Hancock  ;  the  sermon  by  Rev.  Nathan- 
iel Kingsbury,  the  retiring  pastor,  who  also  delivered  the  address  to 
the  church  and  society.  The  charge  and  concluding  prayer  were  by 
the  Rev.  E.  P.  Bradford  of  New  Boston ;  and  the  fellowship  of  the 
churches,  by  the  Rev.  William  Richardson  of  Lyndeboro.  He  was 
dismissed  on  account  of  ill  health,  August  19,  1841.  After  recruit- 
ing his  health,  and  visiting  England  and  Scotland,  he  was  called  to 
the  church  in  Ashburnham,  Mass.,  where  he  was  installed  May  12, 
1842,  from  which  pastorate  he  was  dismissed  in  1846.  He  then  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  where  he  was  installed  June  6, 
1847,  and  dismissed  June  6,  1849.  He  preached  in  Alstead  in  1850- 
2,  aud  in  Laugdon,  1852-4.  His  health  became  so  much  impaired 
that  he  was  compelled  to  abandon  the  active  ministry,  and  in  1860 
retired  to  a  small  farm  in  Winchester,  N.  H.,  whence,  in  1880,  he 
removed  to  Conway,  Mass.,  to  be>  with  his  wife,  under  the  more 
immediate  care  of  their  children. 

Mr.  Jennison  was  married  in  Ipswich,  Mass.,  January  25,  1832, 
to  Miss  Mary  Barker  Shannon,  daughter  of  Dr.  Richard  Cutts  and 
Mary  (Tebbetts)  Shannon,  of  Saco,  Me.  They  had  four  children — 
Edwin  Shannon,  born  at  Walpole,  December  13,  1832;  William 
Cutts,  born  at  Mont  Vernon,  May  29,  1837;  Mary  Theresa,  born  at 
Mont  Vernon,  April  4,  1840;  and  Helen  Maria,  born  at  Ashburnham, 
November  23,  1844.  The  second  and  third  of  these  children  died 
and  were  buried  while  Mr.  Jennison  was  in  England.  Mrs.  Jennison 
died  November  22,  1885;  and  Mr.  Jennison,  December  25,  1887,  at 
the  ripe  old  age  of  82  years  and  4  months. 

It  was  during  his  pastorate  that  the  following  Church  Covenant 
was  adopted,  at  a  church  meeting  held  September  21,  1837  : 

CONFESSION  OF  FAITH. 

You  believe, — 1st,  That  there  is  one  God  and  but  one,  who  is  the 
Creator,  Preserver,  and  Governor  of  the  Universe,  and  who  possesses 
every  natural  and  moral  perfection. 

2nd,  That  the  Bible  was  written  by  holy  men,  as  they  were  moved 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  is  a  perfect  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

3d,  That  God  exists  in  three  persons — the  Father,  the  Son  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  these  three  are  one  God,  the  same  in  essence  and  equal 
in  every  divine  perfection. 

4th,  That  God  has  made  all  things  for  himself,  and  that  known 
unto  him  are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning-:  that  he  governs  and 
controls  all  things,  creatures  and  events,  according  to  the  council  of  his 


64  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VP:RNON. 

own  will;  and  that  the  administration  of  his  government  is  perfectly 
holy,  just  and  good. 

5th,  That  God  created  Adam  perfectly  holy,  and  constituted  him  the 
representative  of  all  his  posterity,  suspending  their  moral  character 
upon  his  probationary  conduct. 

6th,  That  in  consequence  of  the  fall  of  Adam  all  mankind  are  by 
nature  entirely  sinful  and  deserve  to  be  punished  with  eternal  death. 

7th,  That  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  God  and  man,  has  by  His 
death  on  the  cross,  made  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world. 

8th,  That  through  the  atonement,  salvation  is  freely  offered  to  sin- 
ners, in  the  Gospel:  Yet  they  all  naturally  reject  this  gracious  offer, 
and  refuse  to  come  to  Christ  that  they  may  have  eternal  life. 

9th,  That  God  in  the  covenant  of  redemption  chose  all  who  ever 
obtain  salvation  by  Christ  in  him  from  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  and  from  eternity  predestined  them  to  be  holy  heirs  of  eternal 
glory. 

10th,  That  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  an  act  of  special  grace,  renews  the 
heart  of  all  the  elect,  and  causes  them  in  the  present  life  to  accept  the 
salvation  of  the  Gospel. 

11th,  That  the  foundation  of  the  forgiveness  of  believers  is  the  atone- 
ment of  Christ;  in  this  atonement  they  become  interested  by  true  faith 
alone.     Yet  God  will  reward  them  for  all  their  holy  services. 

12th,  That  God  promises  to  preserve  all  who  have  been  renewed  in 
the  spirit  and  temper  of  their  minds  from  final  apostacy,  and  conduct 
them  through  the  sanctification  of  the  spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth  into 
the  Kingdom  of  Glory. 

13th,  That  none  but  those  who  really  and  truly  love  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  ought  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper;  every  church  ought  to  re- 
quire a  profession  of  love  to  the  Redeemer,  of  all  whom  they  admit  to 
their  communion. 

14th,  That  adult  believers  who  have  not  been  baptized  are  subjects 
of  baptism,  and  the  children  of  professing  believers. 

15th,  That  God  has  appointed  a  day  in  which  he  will  judge  the 
world  in  righteousness  by  Jesus  Christ,  who  will  then  receive  the  right- 
eous to  endless  happiness,  and  the  wicked  to  everlasting  punishment. 

A  true  record:  J.    Bruce,  Secretary. 

It  was  also  during  Mr.  Jennison's  pastorate  in  1837,  that  the 
meeting-house  was  removed  from  the  easterly  to  the  westerly  side  of 
the  street,  and  remodeled  and  furnished  with  a  belfry,  bell  and 
organ,  an  account  of  which  is  given  elsewhere.  Mr.  Jennison  occu- 
pied, during  his  residence  in  Mont  Vernon,  the  house  opposite  the 
entrance  to  the  cemetery,  now  known  as  "  Elm  Cottage."  His  salary 
was  $500.  Dr.  Daniel  Adams  led  the  choir  in  those  days.  The 
deacons  were  John  Bruce,  William  Conant  and  Joseph  A.  Starrett. 
During  his  pastorate  twenty-three  persons  were  admitted  to  the 
church.  It  is  said  of  him  that  as  a  sermonizer  he  excelled,  but  as 
pastor  he  did  very  little  visiting.  During  his  pastorate  the  slavery 
question  somewhat  agitated  the  church  and  disturbed  its  peace.     A 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VKRNON.  65 

very  good  portrait  appears  of  him  elsewhere,  made  from  a  daguerreo- 
type, furnished  by  a  daughter,  Mrs.  Chelsea  Cook  of  Conway,  Mass. 

The  Sixth  Pastok  was  the  Rev.  Bezaleel  Smith,  a  native  of 
Randolph,  Vt.,  a  farmer's  boy,  whose  parents  were  John  and  Sarah 
(Lawrence)  Smith,  who  were  married  in  Lexington,  Mass.,  Nov.  15, 
1781,  and  removed  to  Randolph,  Vt.,  about  1790.  They  had  nine 
children — four  sons  and  five  daughters.  The  father  was  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Lexington.  Bezaleel  was  born  April  2,  1797,  and  was  named 
for  his  maternal  grand-father,  Bezaleel  Lawrence. 

He  was  born  and  grew  up  as  most  New'  England  farmers'  boys 
do,  fitting  for  college  at  Randolph,  and  graduating  at  Dartmouth 
with  the  class  of  1825. 

He  became  a  Christian  when  nineteen  years  of  age.  His  con- 
version was  of  the  rugged  sort  of  those  days,  and  the  struggle  through 
which  he  passed  stamped  his  character  with  earnestness  and  fervor, 
that  permeated  his  subsequent  religious  life.  Writing  of  this  in  later 
years,  he  says,  u  Returning  from  a  meeting  on  a  certain  Sabbath,  I 
took  up  my  Bible  to  read,  when  I  felt  a  rising  opposition  in  my  mind 
to  what  I  read.  My  heart  was  filled  with  hate  and  blasphemy.  It 
went  out  in  opposition  to  Christ,  and  to  whatever  was  in  His  praise." 
This  hostility  continued  for  several  weeks,  but  terminated  by  the 
complete  surrender  of  himself  to  Christ,  whom  he  ever  after  delighted 
to  love  and  honor,  as  his  rightful  Master. 

Mr.  Smith  soon  decided  to  prepare  for  the  ministry,  anticipating 
with  great  delight,  that  his  business  would  be  to  meditate  upon  the 
truths  of  the  Bible  and  lead  others  to  this  enjoyment.  His  college 
life  was  marked  by  a  high  standard  of  religious  thought  and  life. 
On  graduating,  he  taught  in  the  Academy  at  Hampton,  N.  H.  One 
of  his  pupils  was  Eliza  Esther  Morrison,  daughter  of  John  B.  Morri- 
son, a  merchant  of  that  place.  Shortly  after  Mr.  Smith's  first 
settlement  in  the  ministry,  that  pupil  became  his  wrife.  She  died  at 
Mont  Vernon,  where  she  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  village  cemetery, 
mourned  by  a  large  circle  of  devoted  friends.  Eight  children  were 
b  rn  to  them.  He  married  for  a  second  wife  Mrs.  Laura  S.  Brown, 
daughter  of  Belcher  Salisbury  of  Randolph,  who  died  in  1896. 

After  teaching  for  a  time  at  Hampton,  Mr.  Smith  returned  to 
Hanover  to  study  theology  under  President  Tyler.  A  written  sermon, 
forenoon  and  afternoon  was  then  required.  The  writer  of  this  sketch 
remembers  his   father  telling  him,   that  when  he  handed  President 


60  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Tyler  his  second  sermon,  after  it  had  been  duly  criticised,  the  presi- 
dent said,  "  Now  you  can  preach  all  day." 

Mr.  Smith  received  his  licet  se  from  the  Harmony  Association  at 
Plymouth,  N.  II..  November  14,  1827.  He  preached  at  different 
places,  until  the  spring  of  1829,  when  he  was  ordained  and  installed 
over  the  church  at  Rye,  N.  H.,  as  associate  pastor,  with  Rev.  Hunt- 
ington Porter.  From  Rye  he  went  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1841,  where 
he  was  installed  August  19  of  that  year. 

The  exercises  were  as  follows: — Invocation  and  Reiding,  Rev. 
John  Haven,  Stoneham,  Mass. ;  Introductory  Prayer  and  Right  Hand 
of  Fellowship,  Rev.  Austin  Richards,  Nashua;  Sermon  and  Installing 
Prayer,  Rev.  Jonathan  French,  North  Hampton,  N.  H. ;  Charge  to 
the  Pastor,  Rev.  E.  P.  Bradford,  New  Boston;  Addresses  to  the 
People  and  Concluding  Prayer,  Rev.  H.  Moore,  Milford. 

He  remained  in  this  pastorate  nine  years,  being  dismissed  April 
30,  1850. 

He  was  a  sound  but  not  brilliant  preacher ;  cautious  and  discreet, 
a  pastor  who  made  no  enemies  Slaveholders  were  by  vote  excluded 
from  church  fellowship  and  from  the  Lord's  table,  and  thirty-two 
persons  were  added  to  the  church  duriug  his  pastorate.  He  removed 
from  here  to  Roxbury,  N.  II.,  and  laboring  there  two  years  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church  in  New  Alstead,  N.  H.,  and 
thence  to  the  church  in  Hanover  Centre,  N.  H  ,  in  1861,  where  he 
remained  for  ten  years.  His  final  ministry  was  at  West  Hartford, 
Vt..  from  which  church  he  retired  as  an  active  minister,  December, 
1877. 

The  last  days  were  passed  in  his  native  town.  During  his  half- 
century  in  the  ministry,  there  were  only  five  Sundays  when  he  did 
not  preach ;  twice  only,  when  he  was  detained  from  the  pulpit  by 
illness.  A  brother  minister  said,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  "The 
elements  of  character  which  combined  to  make  him  a  success  in  the 
ministry  were,  energy  of  purpose,  a  ready  acquiescence  in  the  call  of 
duty,  self-devotion  to  all  the  interests  of  the  church,  generosity  in 
his  religious  sympathies,  and  the  retention  of  a  youthful  spirit."  He 
died  in  Randolph,  Vt.,  May  15,  1894. 

The  following  interesting  paragraph  concerning  Mr.  Smith  is 
from  the  Congregationalist  in  December,  1877,  from  the  pen  of  the 
late  Rev.  Lewis  Grout,  of  Brattleboro,  Vt.  : 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  <■: 

A    LIVE    MAN. 

"  Here  is  a  young  man  for  you;  not  that  he  is  wanting  a  call  or 
waiting  for  a  parish.  He  could  not  lie  spared  from  the  parish  he 
bow  occupies  and  serves — West  Hartford.  N't.  lie  has  been  here  a 
a  little  more  than  five  years,  and  in  that  time  has  seen  the  resident 
membership  of  his  church  more  than  doubled  by  the  addition  of  more 
than  forty  to  their  number.  He  will  be  only  eighty  years  old  next 
April,  and  has  been  in  the  ministry  as  yet  onl}-  fifty  years.  Yester- 
day (Dec.  10)  was  one  of  the  coldest  of  wintry  days.  On  the  day 
previous  a  foot  of  snow  fell,  and  the  wind  Mew  furiously  all  day 
Saturday  and  all  night,  putting  the  snow  in  piles,  putting  the  railroad 
trains  from  three  to  six  hours  behind  time  even  with  engines  doubled. 
And  yet,  with  the  mercury  below  zero,  our  octogenarian,  the  Rev. 
Bezaleel  Smith,  for  such  is  his  name,  started  out  Sabbath  morning 
with  his  own  team,  to  drive  to  a  neighboring  parish,  six  miles  away. 
to  honor  an  appointment  for  an  exchange  of  pulpits,  and  reached 
there  just  in  time  to  astonish  his  stalwart  brother  of  thirty-live  and 
inspire  him  with  courage  to  start  out  and  meet  his  part  of  the  engage- 
ment. Let  the  men  of  years  take  heart  and  work  on,  and  let  the 
young  men  see  to  it  that  they  are  not  outdone  by  the  fathers.'' 

The  Seventh  Pastor,  the  Rev.  Charles  D.  Herbert,  youngest 
son  of  Hon.  George  Herbert,  of  Ellsworth,  Me.,  was  born  at  that 
place,  September  18,  1818;  graduated  at  Bowdoin  College  in  1841  ; 
and  three  years  later  at  Bangor  Theological  Seminary.  He  was 
immediately  ordained,  and  went  as  a  home  missionary  to  the  West. 
After  several  years  on  the  frontier  in  this  service,  he  returned  to 
New  England.  He  commenced  preaching  in  Mont  Vernon,  duly  5, 
18.50,  and  was  installed  pastor,  November  (5,  1*50,  the  exercises 
being  as  follows  :  Invocation  and  Reading  of  Scriptures,  Rev.  W. 
G.  Tuttle,  Littleton,  Mass,  :  Reading  First  Hymn,  Rev.  1).  Goodwin, 
Brookline;  First  Prayer,  Rev.  L.  Swain,  Nashua;  Second  Hymn 
and  Sermon,  Rev.  J.  Maltby,  Bangor;  Installing  Prayer,  Rev.  d. 
Willey,  Goffstown  ;  Charge  to  Pastor,  Rev.  d.  G.  Davis,  Amherst  ; 
Fellowship,  Rev.  K.  B.  Claggett,  Lyndeborough ;  Address  to  the 
People,  Rev.  E.  N.  Hidden,  Milford;  Concluding  Prayer,  Rev.  Mr. 
Kellogg,  New  Boston. 

Coining  here  young  and  enthusiastic  Mr.  Herbert  devoted  him- 
self with  singleness  of  aim  and  Christian  zeal  to  his  work.  I  lis 
labors  here  exhibited  him  as  a  kind,  sympathetic  and  sincere  friend, 
and  an  earnest  and  consecrated  man.  Under  his  ministry  in  1851 
and  1852,  quite  a  number  of  young  people  in  the  academy  and  out- 
side attained   the  Christian  hope.     The  whole  number  added  to  the 


68  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

church  during  his  ministry  was  fifty-five.  He  closed  his  labors  here 
early  in  1856,  and  was  soon  after  settled  over  a  church  in  West 
Newbury,  Mass.  After  a  ministry  there  of  many  years,  he  qualified 
himself  for  the  practice  of  medicine,  and  labored  in  Rutland,  Mass., 
some  years,  both  preaching  and  practising  Some  years  since  he 
was  recalled  to  his  former  parish  at  West  Newbury,  both  preaching 
and  practising  medicine  there.  In  1887  he  became  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Hebron,  N.  Y.,  which  he  resigned  on  account 
of  ill  health.  He  was  then  much  prostrated  by  an  attack  of  la  grippe, 
and  continued  to  decline  slowly  but  steadily,  to  a  peaceful  and  pain- 
less end,  October  13,  1893.  The  burial  was  at  Mt.  Auburn,  Mass., 
October  17,  1893. 

The  Eighth  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  Charles  E.  Lord,  who  having 
commenced  preaching  October  1,  1856,  was  installed  February  4, 
1857,  the  exercises  being  as  follows  :  Scribe,  Rev.  J.  G.  Davis, 
Amherst;  Reading  Scripture  and  Opening  Prayer,  Rev.  Lothrop 
Taylor,  Francestown ;  Sermon,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  P.  Cleveland,  Appleton 
Street  Church,  Lowell,  Mass.;  Ins' a  ling  Prayer,  Rev.  E.  B.  Clag- 
gett,  Lyndeborough ;  Fellowship,  Rev.  E.  N.  Hidden,  Mil  ford ; 
Address  to  the  People,  Rev.  E.  C.  Cogswell,  New  Boston. 

Mr.  Lord  was  dismissed  April  2,  1861.  He  was  born  in  Ports- 
mouth, N.  H.,  February  11,  1817,  the  son  of  John  Perkins  Lord,  a 
brother  of  the  famous  historical  writer,  Rev.  John  Lord,  and  a 
nephew  of  the  still  more  famous  educator  and  theologian,  Rev. 
Nathan  Lord,  D.  D.,  for  thirty  years  President  of  Dartmouth 
College.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  fitted  for  college  in  South 
Berwick,  Me.,  to  which  town  his  parents  removed  in  his  early  child- 
hood. He  also  studied  at  Phillips  Academy  at  Ai.dover,  Mass.,  and 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  with  the  class  of  1838.  He  taught 
in  the  South  Berwick,  Me  ,  Academy  for  a  year,  and  for  two  years 
had  charge  of  an  academy  at  Kingston,  N.  C.  He  studied  theology 
at  Union  Theological  Seminary,  New  York,  and  was  at  the  Theologi- 
cal school  at  New  Haven  for  two  years,  and  studied  one  year  at 
Auburn,  N.  H.  He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  at  Jonesville,  Ind., 
May  8,  1844.  In  1845  he  preached  at  Marshall,  Mich.  November 
17,  1846,  he  was  installed  as  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  church  at 
Niles,  Mich.,  being  dismissed  therefrom  in  1849.  He  was  one  year 
with  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Evansville,  Ind.,  and  subsequently 
preached  at  Mont  Vernon,  Chester,  Vt.,   1865-1869,  Beverly,  New 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  69 

Jersey,  1869,  1870,  North  Easton  Mass.,  Pelham,  N.  V.,  and  from 
1888  till  his  death  conducted  a  mission  under  the  name  of  Hope 
Chapel  at  Salisbury  Beach,  near  Newburyport,  where  he  resided. 
He  received  his  degree  of  I).  I).,  from  East  Tennessee  Wesleyan 
University  in  1873. 

Dr.  Lord  was  a  voluminous  writer  on  theological  and  etbical 
topics.  He  was  an  ardent  abolitionist  and  a  warm  patriot.  At  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  preached  two  war  sermons  at  Mont 
Vernon  (April  28,  1861)  which  were  published.  The  text  of  his 
morning  sermon  was  "  Speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel  that  they  go 
forward."  Exodus,  XIV:  12.  The  afternoon  text  was,  "And  he 
that  hath  no  sword,  let  him  sell  his  garment  and  buy  one."  Luke 
XXII :  36.     The  two  discourses  well  fitted  the  strenuous  texts. 

The  Congregational  Year-Book  for  1903,  in  a  sketch  of  his 
career  makes  the  following  mention  of  his  teaching  and  other  service, 
and  published  works : 

"Made  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Science,  Letters,  and  Art,  Lon- 
don, 1888;  professor  of  Christianity  and  Church  History  in  Talmage's 
Lay  College,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ,  1873;  professor  in  Lay  College,  Revere, 
Mass.;  secretary  of  Peace  Society,  New  York,  1874.  Publications: 
Natural  and  Revealed  Theology,  J.  B.  Lippincott  &Co.,  Philadelphia, 
1870,  pp.  550.  Possibilities  of  the  African  Race,  a  lecture  before  the 
National  House  of  Representatives,  Washington,  D.  C,  1869.  Pamph- 
let on  Slavery,  Secession,  and  the  Constitution,  and  Our  Country's 
Crisis,  1861.  An  Appeal  to  Our  Country's  Loyalty,  1864.  History  of 
Congregational  Church,  Chester,  Vt.,  1868." 

Ur.  Lord  was  married,  January  15,  1857,  soon  after  he  came  to 
Mont  Vernon,  to  Miss  Eunice  Elizabeth  Smith  Pike,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Smith  and  Sarah  (Pettengill)  Pike,  of  Newburyport,  who  still 
(May,  1905,)  survives  him,  having  reached  the  age  of  ninety  in 
August,  1903. 

Hope  Chapel  was  burned  in  the  autumn  of  1902,  and  Dr.  Lord 
was  actively  engaged  in  securing  its  rebuilding  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  very  suddenly,  February  19,  1901,  from  heart 
failure. 

The  Ninth  Pastor,  the  Rev.  George  E.  Sanborne,  was  the  son 
of  Rev.  Peter  and  Martha  (Wakefield)  Sanborne,  and  was  born  at 
Reading,  Mass.,  April  16,  1827.  He  fitted  for  college  at  Williston 
Seminary  and  Monson  Academy,  and  graduated  at  Amherst  College 


70  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

in  1853.  He  took  the  full  course  at  Audover  Theological  Seminary, 
1853  to  1856,  and  February  12,  1856,  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the 
Audover  Association  in  Lowell.  January  1,  1857,  he  was  ordained 
pastor  of  the  church  in  Georgia,  VI.,  and  served  that  church  until 
1861,  and  having  served  as  acting  pastor  of  a  church  in  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.  for  a  year,  he  was  installed  over  the  church  at  Mont  Vernon, 
April  2,  1862. 

The  exercises  were  as  follows,  Rev.  William  Clark,  of  Amherst, 
being  moderator,  and  Rev.  Charles  Cutter,  of  Fraucestown,  scribe  : — 
Reading  Scriptures,  Rev.  Darwin  E.  Adams,  Wilton;  Prayer,  Rev. 
E.  B.  Claggett.  Lyndeborough ;  Sermon.  Rev.  C.  W.  Wallace,  D.D., 
Manchester;  Charge,  Rev.  C.  E.  Lord,  retiring  pastor;  Fellowship, 
Rev.  J.  T.  Hill,  Nashua;  Charge  to  the  People,  Rev.  Augustus  Berry, 
Pelham  ;  Concluding  Prayer,  Rev.  C.  Cutter,  Rochester,  N.  H. 

He  was  dismissed  May  2'.),  1865,  and  went  to  a  church  inNorth- 
boro,  Mass..  where  he  remained  until  1870.  From  1870  to  1875  he 
was  Superintendent  of  the  Hartford,  (Conn.,)  Orphan  Asylum,  also 
preaching  in  1870-1872  at  Tolland,  Conn.,  at  Wethersfield  Avenue 
church'in  Hartford  (which  he  organized),  and  in  1875  at  Enfield, 
Conn.  He  then  became  steward  of  the  Retreat  for  the  Insane 
at  Hartford,  in  which  capacity  he  served  till  1*95,  when  owing  to 
feeble  health  he  was  obliged  to  retire,  although  he  continued  to  live 
in  Hartford  until  he  died  of  sclerosis  of  the  spinal  cord,  January  7, 
1900. 

Mr.  Sanbornewas  married  June  10,  1858,  to  Annie  E.  Knowlton, 
daughter  of  Dea.  .Joha  Knowlton  of  Portsmouth,  and  she  survived 
him.  He  was  much  beloved  by  his  parishoners  of  Mont  Vernon  for 
his  genial  manners  and  kindly  courtesy,  and  he  was  a  preacher  of 
many  rare  qualities. 

The  ministry  of  both  Messrs.  Lord  and  Sanborne  was  barren  of 
noteworthy  incidents  and  the  numerical  increase  t'>  the  church  slight. 
The  Civil  War  was  waging,  and  public  attention  was  concentrated 
upon  it,  to  the  exclusion  of  other  interests.  The  clergymen  of  Mont 
Vernon,  like  most  of  their  brethren,  during  that  eventful  period, 
omitted  no  effort  to  set  and  keep  the  public  opinion  around  them  in 
what  they  deemed  the  right  channel — the  prosecution  of  the  war  for 
the  destruction  of  slavery,  and  the  conquest  of  rebellion  as  the  only 
basis  for  a  re-united  country.  They  sought  in  and  out  of  the  pulpit 
to  stimulate  the  zeal   and  sustain  the  courage  of  the  people.     And 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  71 

the  event  has  justified  their  patriotism   as  of  the  true  quality;     A 
peace  based  on  righteousness  conquered. 

The  Tenth  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  Benson  M.  Frink,  who  in  re- 
sponse to  a  request  for  the  salient  points  in  his  life  sent  the  following 
personal  sketch  :  — 

I  was  born  in  Bartlett,  Carroll  County,  N.  H.,  June  20th,  1838;  the 
youngest  of  four  sons  of  the  Rev.  Silas  and  Sarah  P.  Frink.  When  I 
was  two  years  of  age,  my  family  moved  to  Conway  Center  in  the  same 
County,  where  my  father  died  when  I  was  fifteen  years,  old.  I  received 
my  early  educational  training  in  my  native  town,  and  in  the  Academy 
in  Fryeburg,  Maine,  and  in  Beloit,  Wisconsin. 

In  October,  1859,  I  entered  Bangor  Theological  Seminary  with  my 
brother,  from  which  we  were  graduated  in  a  class  of  23  in  1st .2. 

After  engaging  in  missionary  work  in  Quebec  and  the  Townships, 
for  one  year,  I  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Congregational  Church 
in  Derby,  Vermont.  Here  I  was  pastor  for  two  years,  during  which 
time,  I  opened  the  long  closed  Academy',  serving  as  principal  for  one 
term;  but  the  added  responsibility  of  sixty-six  pupils  and  three  assist- 
ants was  more  than  my  strength  would  permit,  with  my  other  work, 
and  I  declined  to  continue  my  connection  with  the  school. 

During  the  month  of  August,  1865,  I  supplied  the  church  in  Mont 
Vernon.  While  there,  I  received  a  very  urgent  call  to  the  pastorate, 
which  I  accepted,  beginning  my  work  September  24th,  and  was  installed 
November  1st.  In  October,  1867,  I  received  a  unanimous  call  from  the 
Central  Congregational  Church,  Portland,  Maine,  and  November  1st. 
I  was  dismissed  from  the  Mont  Vernon  Church,  that  I  might  accept  the 
call  extended  me  from  Maine.  Since  then  I  have  been  pastor  in  Saco, 
Maine;  Beverly,  Hamilton,  Whitman,  Shelburne  and  West  Brookfield, 
all  in  Massachusetts,  and  in  this  last  place  I  now  (May,  1905)  reside 
without  a  permanent  pastorate. 

August  28th,  1859,  I  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Webb,  in  Bridg- 
ton,  Maine,  to  whom  I  am  largely  indebted  for  any  success  which  I 
may  have  had  in  the  Christian  ministry. 

Of  the  two  years  service  in  Mont  Vernon,  much  was  accom- 
plished by  our  united  effort.  During  the  first  winter,  every  activity 
was  turned  toward  the  special  work  of  the  church.  Mr.  Charles  A. 
Towle  was  then  the  principal  of  the  Academy,  (succeeding  Rev.  C.  F. 
P.  Bancroft,)  who  gave  to  us  his  earnest  and  faithful  service,  and  for 
five  evenings  each  week  for  seventeen  weeks,  meetings  were  held  in  the 
various  school  districts  of  the  town,  and  in  the  spring  57  persons  united 
with  the  church. 

When  I  went  to  Mont  Vernon,  its  beautiful  scenery,  location  and 
the  intellectual  character  of  the  people,  having  made  it  a  center  of  at- 
traction, it  was  impossible  to  procure  a  house  in   which  to  reside,  and 


72  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

we  found  a  home  in  the  family  of  Dea.  George  E.  Dean;  and  in  the 
following  spring,  the  little  room  off  the  chapel  was  fitted  up  for  a  study. 
At  that  time  it  became  evident  that  a  special  effort  should  be  made  to 
secure  a  parsonage  if  possible;  but  the  usual  hinderances  were  freely 
presented,  and  to  these  was  added  the  forceful  argument  that,  "Every 
minister  has  tried  and  failed,  for  we  cannot  raise  the  amount  neces- 
sarj' for  such  a  house  as  we  need  and  ought  to  have. "  Nothing  daunted, 
and  seeing  that  something  heroic  must  be  done,  I  drew  up  a  simple 
subscription  paper,  and  wrote  down  18  names  of  leading  people  whose 
ability  I  learned  from  the  town  taxes  and  report,  and  attached  the 
amount  I  thought  each  ought  to  contribute  to  make  the  enterprise  a  suc- 
cess. The  list  of  names  was  headed  by  Dea.  William  Conant,  and 
Mrs.  Asa  Stevens,  each  for  $200,  it  being  my  belief  that  the  beginning 
would  decide  the  result,  and  they  must  set  the  example  of  doing  great 
things;  and  after  a  little  delightful  diplomacy  each  wrote  "Approved" 
against  their  names.  Then  followed  Messrs.  F.  O.  Kittredge,  H.  H. 
Bragg,  Capt.  Timothy  Kittredge,  Dea.  Joseph  A.  Starrett,  Dea.  John 
Bruce,  and  others  of  like  willingness  to  help  on  the  good  cause,  after 
which  it  was  plain  sailing,  and  in  eight  days  I  had  secured  the  pledge 
of  $2,400,  a  small  part  of  which  was  to  be  paid  in  labor,  and  I  am  hap- 
py to  record  that  every  dollar  subscribed  was  paid,  and  much  more  was 
freely  given  in  drawing  timber,  grading,  and  other  work  in  and  about 
the  building  of  the  house  by  the  generous  and  enthusiastic  friends. 

I  immediately  drew  plans  for  the  house  to  be  submitted  to  a  carpen- 
ter to  determine  if  it  were  a  workable  plan;  and  it  was  approved  by  the 
building  committee  and  the  builder.  The  contract  was  made,  and  work 
immediately  begun  in  the  early  summer,  and  on  October  25th,  1866,  we 
moved  into  the  new  home,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  decide  which  were 
the  happier,  the  people  or  ourselves;  certainly  the  people  manifested  a 
full  measure  of  appreciation,  and  generous  hearts  added  much  to  the 
pleasure  of  the  "House  Warming"  which  followed.  Every  one  seemed 
to  take  pride  in  the  movement,  and  the  guests  were  kind  and  generous 
to  the  young  pastor  and  his  family. 

As  I  look  over  my  old  records  I  find  these  entries  that  tell  a  story 
of  commendable  liberality  for  that  people,  none  of  whom  could  be  rated 
as  rich,  but  they  were  heartily  in  earnest  and  gave  to  the  limit  in  every 
demand  made  upon  them.  Here  are  a  few  figures  that  may  interest 
those  who  were  young  people  then: 

For  Parsonage,  $2,500 

"     New  Pulpit  furniture  and  carpet,  100 

"     Communion  Service,  75 

"     Changes  and  repairs  in  chapel,  25 

$2,700 
This  did  not    lessen  the   benevolences  of   the  church,  or  the  prompt 
payment  of  nry  salary.      The    many    summer    guests    who    came  to  this 
town  were  of  a  very  high  order,  and    very    many   of  them  were  constant 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  73 

in  their  attendance  on  the  Sabbath  services.  They  were  considerate 
and  generous,  and  I  recall  that  the  first  year  I  was  handed  an  envelope 
containing  $130  from  the  boarders  at  the  hotel  (the  old  Mount  Vernon 
House,  kept  by  Mr.  F.  O.  Kittredge)  and  Mr.  Dean's.  The  following 
year  another  purse  was  presented  to  us  from  the  guests  of  $80.  I  cannot 
refrain  from  making  mention  of  like  kindnesses  from  onr  people  in  ways 
not  measured  by  dollars.  I  recall  that  one  Monday  morning  I  entered 
the  "Box  Shop"  as  was  my  custom,  when  I  was  met  by  some  young* 
ladies  working  there,  who  handed  me  a  package,  requesting  me  not  to 
open  until  I  reached  home.  To  our  very  great  delight  it  contained  the 
works  of  Dr.  Horace  Bushnell,  V  Vols. — each  volume  inscribed  thus: 
"Rev.  Benson  M.  Frink, 

From  his  friends, 

Martha  E.  Conant, 
Cordelia  M.  J.  Bragg, 
Ellen  M.  Bragg, 
Mary  E.  Cloutman, 
Mrs.  John  F.  Colby." 
December  25,  1865. 

Few  communities  could  then,  or  can  today,  boast  of  more  delightful 
homes  or  educated  sons  and  daughters  who  have  exerted  a  wide  and 
lasting  influence  in  educational,  religious  and  business  circles.  I  have 
believed,  and  shall  continue  to  believe,  that  the  long  and  faithful  min- 
istry of  Rev.  Mr.  Bruce  and  his  successors,  and  the  inspiration  of  the 
honored  and  distinguished  principal  of  the  Academy,  the  late  Rev.  C. 
F.  P.  Bancroft,  D.D.,  Ph.D.,  had  much  to  do  in  guiding  to  high  pur- 
poses the  young  men  and  women  who  have  honored  their  native  town 
in  church  and  state. 

The  fathers  and  mothers  sleep;  sowers  and  reapers  pass  on,  but 
their  work  abides  in  the  Old  Granite  State,  and  the  Christian  democ- 
racy of  this  nation. 

The  clock  that  was  presented  to  us  Christmas  Evening,  1865,  at  the 
home  gathering  of  Dea.  W.  H.  Conant,  has  ticked  away  the  years  from 
then  until  now;  changes  have  come  to  all,  and  many  we  then  knew  as 
our  people  rest  in  silence;  but  memory  brings  back  their  sacred  names, 
and  their  deeds  of  kindness  and  love  troop  in  to  make  glad  the  years  we 
now  live;  and  no  years  of  my  public  life  are  more  cherished  than  those 
spent  among  the  good  people  of  Mont  Vernon,  N.  H. 

Our  only  child,  a  daughter,  Florence  Leonola,  was  born  September 
6,  1863,  at  Magog,  Province  of  Quebec. 

The  Eleventh  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  Seth  Harrison  Keeler,  D.D., 
who  was  born  in  Brandon,  Vt.,  Sept.  24,  1800.  In  1823  he  entered 
the  Sophomore  class  at  Middlebury  College,  graduating  in  1826,  and 
entering  Andover  Theological  Seminary   the  same  year.     Soon  after 


74  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

his  graduation  from  there  he  was  called  to  the  church  in  South  Ber- 
wick, Me.,  and  was  ordained  as  its  pastor  in  October,  1829.  The 
following  winter  he  was  married  to  Mary  Felt,  of  New  Ipswich,  N.  W., 
of  whom  he  said  :  "Not  a  little  of  my  success  as  a  pastor  I  gratefully 
ascribe  to  her  example  and  influence."  In  the  autumn  of  1836  he 
accepted  a  call  to  the  church  in  Amesbury  Mills,  Mass.,  and  after  a 
successful  ministry  of  three  years,  (April  18,  1836  to  December  7, 
1839),  by  the  advice  of  a  council  of  clergymen,  answered  the  call  to 
a  church  in  Calais,  Me.  There  he  remained  for  twenty-seven  years, 
(November  30,  1839,  to  October  22,  1874),  extending  his  usefulness 
so  much  beyond  his  own  church  that  he  was  called  the  "Bishop  of 
AVashington  County."  In  1865  the  trustees  of  Middlebury  College 
conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  D.D.  Full  of  patriotism,  and  long- 
ing for  some  share  in  the  Country's  sacrifice,  he  asked  permission 
from  his  people  to  serve  in  the  Christian  Commission  at  Washing- 
ton, and  was  there  for  some  weeks,  comforting  the  sick,  and  sustain- 
ing many  a  soldier  in  his  last  hours.  In  1866  he  resigned  his  pas- 
torate at  Calais,  and  came  to  Reading,  Mass.,  purposing  forest,  and 
preach  occasionally  as  he  might  have  opportunity;  but  at  the  close  of 
1867,  through  his  friend  Dr.  Clark,  of  Amherst,  he  went  to  preach 
at  Mont  Vernon,  New  Hampshire,  and,  receiving  a  unanimous  call 
from  the  church,  entered  once  more  upon  the  labors  he  loved  as 
pastor,  continuing  at  Mont  Vernon  from  1867  to  1875.  lie  often 
spoke  of  the  eight  years  he  spent  there  as  most  happy.  He  delighted 
in  the  beautiful  scenery,  and  said  the  fine  air  gave  him  a  new  lease 
of  life.  He  took  a  lively  interest  in  Appleton  Academy.  This  was 
his  last  pastorate.  In  1875  he  removed  to  Somerville,  Mass.,  to  be 
near  a  sou  and  daughter,  and  lived  there  until  1886.  On  Christmas 
day  of  that  year  he  died  in  church,  just  as  he  had  risen  to  join  in 
singing — a  most  fitting  ending  to  an  exceptionally  beautiful  and  use- 
ful life.  He  was  86  years,  3  months  and  2  days  old  at  the  time  of 
his  death.  Though  advanced  in  years  when  his  service  to  this  people 
commenced,  he  proved  himself  as  an  able,  scholarly  and  faithful 
religious  teacher.  In  1873  and  1874  some  forty  people  united  with 
the  church  as  the  result  of  special  religious  interest  in  the  community. 
On  the  5th  of  September,  1880,  Dr.  Keeler  came  and  preached 
a  centennial  sermon,  the  church  having  been  organized  in  1780. 

The  Twelfth  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  William  H.  Wood  well,  who 
was  born  at  Newbury    (now   Newburyport),    Mass.,   September  9, 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  75 

1844.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  Newburyport,  graduating 
from  the  High  school  in  I.S62.  Between  thai  date  and  the  time  lie 
entered  Bowdoin  College  in  1865,  he  was  employed  a  part  of  the 
time  as  a  special  reporter  on  the  Boston  Transcript.  He  graduated 
at  Bowdoin  in  1869,  and  at  once  entered  the  Andover  Theological 
Seminary,  where  he  graduated  in  1872.  He  was  ordained  as  a  min- 
ister at  Wells,  Me.,  .June  12,  1873,  and  was  pastor  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  at  that  place  until  May,  1875.  In  November  of  that 
year  he  became  pastor  of  the  church  at  Mont  Vernon,  serving  until 
about  April,  1880.  In  January,  1881,  he  went  to  Hawaii,  Sandwich 
Islands,  and  was  pastor  and  teacher  there  until  May,  1882.  He  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Orient,  N.  Y., 
and  served  that  church  from  1883  to  1887.  After  a  short  pastorate 
at  New  Marlborough,  Mass.,  he  was  called  to  the  Congregational 
church  at  Sandwich,  Mass.,  and  was  there  from  near  the  close  of 
1888  to  October.  1898.  He  soon  after  removed  with  his  family  to 
Washington,  I).  C,  and  supplied  pulpits  of  churches  of  his  denom- 
ination in  Washington  and  elsewhere  until  April,  1901,  when  he 
preached  at  Hampton,  Conn.,  where  he  remained  till  April,  1904, 
when  he  assumed  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Congregational  churches  at 
Hampton  Falls  and  Seabrook,  N.  H.,  where  he  now  is  (May,  1905). 

On  the  18th  of  April,  1*73,  Mr.  Woodwell  was  married  to  Miss 
Martha  Haskell,  of  Newburyport.  The  following  children  have  been 
born  to  them  :  — 

Julian  Ernest,  born  at  Wells,  Me.,  Jan.  7,  1874,  who  graduated 
from  t  e  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology. 

Eva  Cecilia,  born  at  Mont  Vernon.  X.  H  ,  and  graduated  at 
Mount  Holyoke  in  1900. 

William  Herbert,  born  at  Pohala,  Hawaii,  May  5,  1881,  and  was 
a  member  of  the  Law  School  of  George  Washington  University,  at 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Archer  Roscoe,  born  at  Newburyport,  May  23,  1883,  now 
(190."»)  residing  at  Fredericksburg,  \'a. 

Carolus  Sylvester,  born  at  New  Marlborough,  Mass.,  February 
9,  1889,  and  now  a  member  of  Phillips  Academy  at  Exeter,  N.  H. 

The  Thirteenth  Pastor  was  Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter,  who  began 
his  pastorate  simultaneously  with  the  second  century  of  the  church, 
occupying  the  pulpit  of  the  church  tirst  on  September  19,    1880,   and 


76  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

removing  his  family  here  from  Peabody,  Mass.,  in  November  fol- 
lowing. 

Charles  Carroll  Carpenter  was  born  in  Bernardston,  Mass.,  July 
9,  1836,  the  son  of  Dr.  Elijah  W.  Carpenter,  for  forty  years  a  physician 
in  that  town,  and  Vallonia  Slate.  He  was  of  ihe  eighth  generation 
from  William  Carpenter,  an  English  emigrant  of  1638,  who  had  been 
influenced  to  join  the  Plymouth  Colony  by  Governor  Bradford,  hus- 
band of  Alice  Carpenter,  a  cousin.  He  settled  first  at  Weymouth, 
Mass.,  soon  after  at  Rehoboth,  where  the  successive  generations 
dwelt  until  Dr  Carpenter's  father,  after  his  service  in  the  Revolution- 
ary army,  removed  to  Vermont. 

Mr.  Carpenter  fitted  for  college  at  Goodale  Academy  in  his 
native  town,  at  Williston  Seminary,  and  at  Kimball  Union  Academy 
in  Meriden,  N.  H.,  but  the  complete  break-down  of  his  health  pre- 
vented him  from  pursuing  his  studies  further.  A  health  excursion 
to  the  coast  of  Labrador  led  him,  after  two  years  spent  in  business, 
to  visit  that  coast  again  in  1858,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Canada 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  to  see  what  could  be  done  for  the  un- 
privileged inhabitants.  He  took  lumber  down  the  St.  Lawrence, 
built  a  mission-house  on  Caribou  Island,  in  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle, 
and  at  that  station,  and  at  a  winter  station  on  the  banks  of  Eskimo 
River,  served  as  missionary  among  the  sailors  and  shoremen  until 
the  fall  of  1865,  when  the  severity  of  the  climate  compelled  him  to 
retire.  In  the  meantime  he  had  visited  ki  the  States"  repeatedly,  at- 
tending lectures  at  Harvard  Medical  College,  receiving  ordination  at 
Montreal  in  1860,  marrying  in  1862,  and  spending  the  last  winter  of 
the  Civil  War  in  the  service  of  the  U  S.  Christian  Commission  in  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

From  1866  to  1872  he  was  superintendent  of  the  Lookout  Mount- 
ain (Tenn.)  Educational  Institutions  for  white  youth,  having  for  as- 
sociates, for  a  part  of  the  time,  Principal  Cecil  F.  P.  Bancroft  and 
his  Mont  Vernon  wife,  Frances  Kittredge.  He  was  a  student  at 
Andover  Theological  Seminary  from  1872  to  1875,  then  minister  at 
South  and  West  Peabody,  Mass.  (two  parishes),  until  1880.  He 
was  formally  installed  pastor  at  Mont  Vernon,  July  1,  1881,  and 
closed  his  pastorate,  Sept.  20,  1885.  He  has  since  resided  in  An- 
dover, Mass.,  without  pastoral  charge,  occasionally  preaching,  but 
mostly  engaged  in  literary  work ;  was  editor  of  the  Andover  Towns- 
man for  two  years,  and  has  been  a  contributing  editor  of  the  Con- 
gregationalist  from  1886  ;  he  published  a  Biographical  Catalogue  of 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  77 

Phillips  Academy,  Audover  (1778-1830),  ancl  is  now  preparing  a 
general  catalogue  of  Andover  Seminary.  He  received  the  honorary 
degree  of  A.  M.  from  Hamilton  College  in  1869,  and  from  Dart- 
mouth College  in  1887. 

Mr.  Carpenter.married,  May  1,  1862,  Miss  Feronia  N.  Rice,  of 
Auburn,  Mass.  They  hive  had  five  children:  George  R.,  Harvard 
College,  1886,  professor  in  Columbia  University;  Charles  L.,  Dart- 
mouth College,  1887,  civil  engineer  on  the  Panama  Canal;  William 
Bancroft,  Harvard  College,  1890,  teacher  in  Boston  public  schools; 
Jane  B.,  Mt.  Holyoke  College,  1897,  teacher;  Miriam  F.  (born  in 
Mont  Vernon),  Colorado  College,  1905. 

The  Fourteenth  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  Richard  Hastings  Mc- 
Gown,  who  commenced  preaching  here  January  10,  1885,  and  was 
installed  June  23,  1886.  He  was  born  at  North  Ellsworth,  Me.,  May 
13,  18.30,  was  educated  principally  at  the  Eastern  State  Normal 
School  at  Castine,  and  graduated  iu  1878  from  the  Bangor  Theological 
Seminary.  Became  a  preacher  of  the  Methodist  Conference,  and  as 
such  was  stationed  at  Dover,  Tremont,  and  Pembroke,  Me.  March 
7,  1882,  he  was  ordained  as  a  Congregational  minister  at  Harrington, 
Me.,  was  acting  pastor  at  Turii-r,  Me  ,  from  December,  18 S3,  to 
November,  1885,  and  at  Mont  Vernon  from  December,  1885,  until 
February  26,  1888.  He  was  afterwards  two  years  each  at  Cornish, 
Me.,  and  at  Northwood,  N.  H.  His  last  pastorate  wa5  at  the  Court- 
land  street  Congregational  church  in  Everett,  Mass.,  where  he  died  in 
the  service,  April  1,  1900,  after  a  brief  illness.  His  wife  and  two 
sons  and  two  daughters  survived  him;  also  two  brothers,  Dr.  Wilkes 
McGown,  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  and  the  Rev.  A.  J.  McGown,  now  (1905) 
pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Amherst,  N.  H. 

Sept.  25,  1875,  he  married  Abby  Frances  Rowe,  of  Ellsworth, 
Me.  Five  children  were  born  to  them  :  Ruth  May,  Ralph  Sumner, 
Anna  Estella,  Roy  Edmund,  and  Ernest  Alfred,  the  last  named  child 
dying  in  infancy. 

A  newspaper  account  of  his  death  says  :  ki  Wherever  he  has 
been  he  has  left  the  impress  of  his  faithfulness,  and  people  were 
everywhere  impressed  by  the  integrity  and  faithfulness  of  his  Chris- 
tian life  and  ministry;  and  everywhere  he  was  called  '  a  good  man.' 
While  his  life  was  comparatively  short  it  would  be  hard  to  estimate 
the  good  he  has  done." 


78  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

The  Fifteenth  Regular  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  John  Thorpe, 
who  was  born  May  4th,  1845,  in  the  village  of  Newton  Heath,  three 
miles  from  the  city  of  Manchester,  England,  which,  at  this  writing 
(1904),  is  a  ward  of  said  city.  His  father,  Joel  Thorpe,  was  born 
in  Moston,  a  suburb  of  Manchester,  and  died  in  October,  1880,  at  the 
age  of  75.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Sarah  Brown,  and  she 
was  born  at  Compstall  Bridge,  Derbyshire,  England,  Jan.  5,  1814, 
and  is  still  (1904)  living  with  grandchildren.  B:>th  father  and  mother 
were  silk  weavers  on  the  hand  loom.  There  were  eleven  children,  of 
whom  John  was  the  sixth.  He  went  to  school  at  three  years  of  age, 
and  at  eight  worked  in  the  print  works  at  what  was  known  as  a 
"  half  timer."  At  thirteen  he  began  to  work  as  a  "  full-timer,"  and 
attended  a  night  school  until  he  was  twenty.  He  began  work  as  a 
local  preacher  at  the  age  of  sixteen  for  the  *'  Methodist  New  Con- 
nexion," still  working  as  a  calico  printer,  at  the  Claybon  Vale  Print 
Works,  Manchester.  At  twenty-one  he  went  to  work  in  a  Manches- 
ter ware-house,  first  as  a  porter  and  messenger,  then  as  travelling 
salesman.  At  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  married  Miss  Emily  A.  C. 
Bennett,  eldest  daughter  of  Alfred  and  Sarah  Ann  Bennett,  of  New- 
ton Heath.  Mr.  Bennett  was  superintendent  of  a  cotton  mill  at  the 
time  of  his  death  in  1870.  Her  mother  is  still  (1901)  living  in 
Failsworth,  Manchester,  at  the  age  of  76. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-five  John  Thorpe  sailed  for  New  York,  and 
after  a  rough  passage  of  52  days  in  a  clipper  ship,  landed  at  Castle 
Garden,  New  York,  May  8,  1871.  He  worked  three  months  in  a 
woolen  mill  at  Raritan,  N.  J.,  and  then  went  to  Lawrence,  Mass., 
and  at  first  worked  as  a  cloth-folder  in  the  Washington  Mills,  and 
later  as  a  cloth-inspector.  On  Sundays  he  was  engaged  in  mission 
services,  supplying  pulpits  in  various  places,  and  following  his  occu- 
pation in  the  mill  during  the  week. 

In  May,  1874,  he  returned  with  his  wife  to  England.  Leaving 
her  with  her  mother,  he  went  to  London,  and  in  June,  1*74,  sailed 
for  Quebec,  Canada,  removing  to  Upper  Canada,  and  then  to  Detroit, 
and  Chicago,  at  which  last  named  place  he  was  employed  by  a  sur- 
veyor for  a  brief  time.  Then  he  went  to  Elgin,  111.,  as  an  attendant 
in  a  hospital.  On  the  first  of  March,  1875,  he  went  to  Washington, 
D.  C  and  thence  to  Baltimore,  and  later  to  Philadelphia,  from  which 
place  he  shipped  in  a  Guion  steamer  for  London,  and  later  rejoined 
his  wife  in  Manchester.  They  soon  went  to  house-keeping  in  the 
Lancashire  seaport  town  of  Southport,  where  he  did  odd  jobs  for  a 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  70 

hardware  dealer,  and  finally  acted  as  a  salesman.  He  afterward  was 
employed  as  lodge-keeper  and  messenger  at  the  Lancashire  Indepen- 
dent College  at  Whalley  Range,  Manchester;  and  later  as  librarian  at 
the  Longsight  (  Manchester)  Mechanics  Institute. 

In  January,  1880,  he  returned  to  Lawrence,  Mass.,  as  a  cloth- 
inspector,  and  also  resumed  religious  work  under  his  local  preacher's 
license.  In  1884  he  served  the  Tower  Hill  Congregational  church  of 
Lawrence  as  pulpit  supply.  In  1885  he  removed  to  South  Weare, 
N.  H.,  as  preacher  and  missionary,  and  Dec  30,  1885,  was  ordained 
and  installed  as  a  Congregational  minister  in  the  Congregational 
church  at  South  Weare.  On  Sunday  afternoons  he  also  supplied  the 
pulpit  at  North  Weare,  also  preaching  often  for  the  Free  Baptists. 

June  17,  1888,  he  began  his  pastorate  of  the  Congregational 
church  at  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  preached  until  Sept.  1,  1894.  On 
this  date  he  began  service  as  pastor  of  the  Congregational  churches 
at  Andover  and  East  Andover,  N.  H.,  laboring  there  until  March  1, 
1899,  when  he  removed  t')  Brookline,  N.  H.,  where  he  served  as  pas- 
tor of  the  Congregational  church  until  June  1,  1902,  when  he  began 
his  labors  with  the  Congregational  church  at  Center  Harbor  (on  Lake 
Winnepesaukee),  N.  H.,  under  an  engagement  on  a  mutual  basis  for 
what  is  called  '-An  Indefinite  Time" — which  connection  he  still  holds 
(June,  1905). 

In  the  Old  Scholars'  Union  Magazine,  a  Sunday-school  publica- 
tion, issued  in  1891,  Mr.  Thorpe  gives  a  good  many  facts  in  his 
career.  His  call  to  be  a  preacher,  he  says,  came  when  he  was  a 
child,  when  his  ambition  was  to  enter  the  ministry.  At  16  he  joined 
the  church,  at  18  he  preached  his  first  sermon  in  the  old  Culcheth 
school,  at  19  he  was  put  on  the  "plan,"  and  at  21  went  to  work  in 
the  city  of  Manchester.  At  24,  he  says,  he  "  married  the  prettiest 
Lancashire  lass  in  the  whole  county."  At  25  he  set  sail  for  New 
York,  where  he  landed,  May  8,  1871.  At  26  he  joined  the  Free  Con- 
gregational church  at  Lawrence,  Mass.,  and  the  next  year  preached 
for  the  Methodists  at  various  places  in  Massachusetts  and  New 
Hampshire. 

One  who  knows  him  well  says  : 

"  The  free,  frank,  independent,  happy-go-lucky,  roaming,  rhym- 
ing, contented,  rollicking  spirit  of  John  Thorpe  was  learned  by  him 
from  reading  and  assimilating  over  and  over  again  the  life  of  John 
Wesley,  who  said :   '  I  look  upon  the  World  as  my  parish.      I  have 


80  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

no  time  to  be  in  a  hurry.     God  buries  his   workmen,   but  continues 
his  work.     The  best  of  all  is,  God  is  with  us  ' " 

"No  foot  of  land  do  I  possess, 
No  cottage  in  this  wilderness — 

A  poor  way-faring  man; 
I  lodge  awhile  in  tents  below, 
And  gladly  wander  to  and  fro, 

Till  I  may  Canaan  gain.  " 

Mr.  Thorpe's  ministry  at  Mont  Vernon  was  busy  and  successful. 
He  might  well  be  called  a  "■hearty"  minister,  both  in  his  preaching 
and  in  his  parish  work.  His  varied  experiences  made  him  a  fit  ex- 
emplar of  St.  Paul's  note  of  his  own  course  in  "  becoming  all  things 
to  all  men,"  and  he  had  a  whole-souled  manner  which  made  him  wel- 
come in  every  household. 

The  Sixteenth  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  Thomas  Jones  Lewis,  son 
of  Thomas  and  Susan  (Jones)  Lewis,  and  he  was  born  in  Swansea, 
Wales,  July  2,  1857.  He  attended  the  public  schools  in  his  native 
place,  and  began  to  preach  when  only  eighteen  years  of  age  in  a  Con- 
gregational church  in  Swansea.  He  came  to  the  United  States  in 
August,  1883,  and  was  a  s'udent  at  Marietta,  Ohio,  in  that  and  the 
succeeding  year.  From  1884  to  1887  he  was  a  student  at  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Bangor,  Me.,  graduating  with  his  class. 

After  graduation  he  preached  two  years  at  Deer  Isle,  Me.,  but 
was  not  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry  until  Dec.  5,  1880.  This 
occurred  at  Southwest  Harbor,  Me.,  where  he  began  preaching  in 
September  of  that  year,  and  continued  until  April,  1891.  In  May, 
1891,  he  became  pastor  of  the  church  at  East  Andover,  N.  II.,  and 
served  there  until  July,  1894,  when  he  succeeded  the  Rev.  John 
Thorpe  as  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Mont  Vernon,  who 
in  turn  succeeded  him  at  East  Andover.  Mr.  Lewis  remained  at 
Mont  Vernon  until  December,  1897,  when  he  went  to  Wales,  supply- 
ing a  pulpit  at  Porthcawl  for  about  a  year.  In  1899,  having  returned 
to  this  country,  he  was  recalled  to  the  pulpit  at  East  Andover,  X. 
H.,  which  he  served  until  January,  1904.  At  this  time  he  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Conway,  N. 
H.,  where  he  is  still  serving  successfully  and  happily  (June,  1905). 

On  the  19th  of  February,  1878,  Mr.  Lewis  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Annie  Daniels,  by  whom  he  has  had  four  children,  of 
whom  three  are  living. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  M 

Mr.  Lewis's  pastorate  at  Mont  Vernon  was  successful  in  every 
respect.  Jt  was  during  this  pastorate  that  the  new  meeting-house 
was  dedicated.  Mr.  Lewis  was  an  honest,  faithful,  and  devoted 
Christian  minister,  and  a  preacher  of  no  mean  abilities.  He  possessed 
the  entire  respect  and  esteem  of  all  his  people. 

The  Seventeenth  Pastor,  the  Rev.  Donald  Browne,  commenced 
preaching  here  November,  1898.  lie  was  born  at  London,  England, 
November  3d,  1851,  son  of  Donald  and  Sarah  (Humphrey)  Browne. 
Educated  in  Devonshire,  then  became  teacher.  He  took  charge  of 
an  Episcopal  Mission  School  in  Newfoundland  four  years.  He  was 
Judge  of  District  Court  six  years  at  St  Barbes,  Newfoundland.  He 
studied  m  the  theological  department  of  Boston  University,  was  or- 
dained over  a  Congregational  church  at  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  in  1889,  re- 
maining there  three  years.  In  1892  he  went  to  the  Broadway  Con- 
gregational church.  Fall  River,  preaching  there  several  years.  He 
closed  his  two  years'  pastorate  here  November,  1900.  Mr.  Browne 
while  here  assisted  in  the  work  of  Grace  Episcopal  Church  of  Man- 
chester, N.  H.,  of  which  the  Rev.  W.  Jones  was  rector.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Browne  were  very  highly  esteemed  here,  and  the  universal 
sentiment  of  the  parish  was  of  much  regret  at  their  departure  He 
went  from  Mont  Vernon  to  pastoral  work  in  Manchester,  N.  IL,  and 
later  to  Derry,  N.  H.,  and  at  this  writing  (June,  1905,)  he  is  at 
South  Groveland,  Mass.  These  last  two  charges  were  in  the  Episcopal 
denomination. 

The  Eightekntei  Pastok  of  the  church  (who  is  serving  at  this 
date,  June,  1905,)  is  the  Rev.  Henry  Porter  Peck.  He  was  born  in 
Kalamazoo,  Michigan,  Oct.  25,  1853,  and  spent  his  boyhood  and 
early  manhood  in  Norfolk,  Conn.  He  fitted  for  college  at  Williston 
Seminary,  at  Easthampton,  Mass.,  and  graduated  at  Amherst  College 
in  the  class  of  1878.  He  spent  two  years  in  the  study  of  theology  at 
Auburn,  N  Y.,  and  two  years  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary, 
where  he  graduated  in  1882.  May  1,  1882,  he  was  called  to  the  pas- 
torate of  the  Congregational  church  at  Plymouth,  N.  H.,  where  he 
served  from  1882  to  1889.  October  1,  1889,  he  was  called  to  the 
Second  Congregational  church  at  Winsted,  Conn.,  where  he  remained 
until  Oct.  1,  1891,  and  May  1,  1892,  was  settled  over  the  Congrega- 
tional church  at  Milford,  X.  IL,  until  Oct.  1,  1899.  He  began  his 
ministry  at  Mont  Vernon  in  the  winter  of  1900-1901,  where  he  still 


82  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

continues  (June,  1905.)  Mr.  Peck  is  a  preacher  of  unusual  ability, 
always  discoursing  without  notes,  and  his  sermons  are  plain,  practical 
Christian  utterances,  illustrated  by  a  fund  of  ready  reference  to  cur- 
rent events  and  up-to-date  thought. 

For  the  last  twenty-five  years  the  strength  of  the  church  and  so- 
ciety has  waned,  by  the  death,  or  departure  from  Mont  Vernon,  of  a 
considerable  number  on  which  both  relied  for  strength  and  support. 
A  considerable  summer  clientage,  however,  helps  to  maintain  public 
worship  in  the  decidedly  handsome  and  commodious  little  meeting- 
house, which  is  among  the  most  attractive  in  the  country. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  OLD  MEETING-HOUSE. 

Pew-Grounds — Pew-Spots — Alterations  and  Repairs — Transfer 
of  Parish  Matters  to  Town — Horse-Sheds — Buildings  on  the 
Common — Call  to  Rev.  Stephen  Chapin — His  Dismissal— The 
Ministerial  Fund — Extensive  Repairs — Parsonage — Fire  in 
Meeting  House — New  Modelling  the  House — Its  Removal 
Across  the  Road — Hearse  and  Hearse  House — Last  Service 
in  Old  House — As  a  Town  Hall — Town  and  Society  Quit- 
claim to  E\ch  Other — Co-partnership  Ended— Certain 
Rights  Reserved — Appropriation  to  Change  Meeting-House 
to  Town  Hall  —The  Changes— Old  Baptismal  Bowl  Found 
— Town  Hall  Dedicated. 

The  story  of  the  building  of  the  first  meeting-house  in  1781,  is 
given  at  some  length  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  history,  as  well  as 
sundry  notes  relative  to  changes  therein,  and  to  the  "burying- 
ground,"  which  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  meeting-house, 
towards  Francestown.  The  accounts  of  what  has  been  done,  from 
time  to  time,  to  the  building  are  meagre. 

1784,  Dec.  29,  the  Parish  voted  a  deed  of  "pew  ground,"  No. 
33,  'to  the  Widow  Hannah  Peabody,  of  Amherst,  6  ft.  1  in.  long 
by  4  ft.  11  in.  wide,  according  to  a  scheme  of  ground  plot  or  plan  of 
land  now  lodged  with  the  public  record  of  said  Parish  ;"  which  is  of 
interest  as  fixing  the  size  of  the  "pew-grounds." 

When  the  new  meeting-house  was  built  in  1896,  some  of  these 
"pew-ground"  deeds,  which  had  descended  by  inheritance  or  other- 
wise to  persons  then  living,  were  offered  in  exchange  for  pews  in  the 
new  edifice,  but  of  course  that  could  not  be  allowed,  as  the  old  pew- 
grounds  were  then  valueless  ;  nor  was  such  an  exchange  necessary, 


84  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

as  no  pews  were   sold,   or  even  rented   in   the  new  meeting-house, 
sittings  in  which  were  made  free  to  all. 

1790,  April  26,  the  Parish  voted  "to  allow  4  pews  more  in  front 
of  those  now  built  on  the  lower  floor,  in  said  house." 

Also  voted  "6  kpew-spots'  more  in  the  gallery,"  and  chose  a 
committee  to  sell  the  "spots"  to  the  highest  bidder. 

Voted  "to  impower  the  committee  to  pay  up  the  arrearages  and 
finish  the  meeting-house." 

1791,  July  9.  Voted  "to  find  stuff  and  to  build  the  seats  in  said 
meeting-house,  except  the  front  of  the  brestworks  in  said  seats." 

1792,  Oct.  25.  Voted  "not  to  have  the  Small  Pox  any  longer  in 
said  Parish  after  the  House  now  infected  can  be  cleaned." 

1804,  March  13.  The  new  Town  of  Mont  Vernon  had  an  article 
in  the  warrant  "to  see  if  they  will  acknowledge  all  former  contracts 
of  the  Second  Parish  of  Amherst  not  legally  discharged,  as  their  own, 
and  order  the  selectmen  for  the  time  being  to  call  for  a  transfer  of 
all  monies,  grants  and  obligations  in  favor  of  said  Parish."  Under 
this  article  it  was 

Voted  "to  take  a  transfer  of  all  parish  matters  to  the  Town  of 
Mont  Vernon,  and  acknowledge  them  as  their  own." 

Here  ended  the  Parish,  and  the  Town  succeeded  to  its  privileges 
and  obligations. 

1808,  April  13.  An  article  was  put  in  the  warrant  "to  see  if 
the  town  will  agree  to  I  t  old  buildings  that  is  hailed  on  to  the  Common 
in  said  Town  and  left  there  by  John  Averill,  jr.,  and  Jesse  Averill, 
still  continue  there :  if  not,  to  see  if  said  Town  will  allow  said  build- 
ing to  have  a  place  anywhere  on  the  common  near  said  meeting-house." 

"To  see  what  method  said  Town  will  take  in  future  in  regard  to 
the  building  of  horse-sheds,  and  the  methods  the  inhabitants  shall 
take  to  obtain  leave  for  that  purpose." 

At  the  meeting  held  May  16,  1808,  Voted  "there  should  not 
any  buildings  stand  in  front  or  in  rear  of  said  meeting-house." 

Voted  "that  all  the  horse-sheds  and  other  buildings  should  not 
stand  where  they  now  stand." 

Voted  "to  choose  a  committee  of  seven  persons  to  say  where  the 
said  sheds  should  stand." 

The  committee  was  at  once  named,  and  reported  to  the  meeting, 
and  it  was  voted  "that  persons  having  buildings  should  be  notified  to 
move  them  within  30  days." 

The  agency  of  the  Town  as  a  successor  of  the  Parish  in   manag- 


THE    OLD    MEETING    HOUSE. 

(Erected    in    1781.) 
Before  Remodelled  as  Town  Hall. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  85 

ing  the  affairs  of  the  church  is  shown  in  a  vote,  April  11,  1809,  "to 
choose  n  committee  to  hire  a  candidate  to  supply  the  pulpit;  also  to 
raise  Si '27  for  hiring  preaching,  and  to  appropriate  the  school  land 
money  in  place  of  the  Si 27." 

1809,  Sept.  2.").  There  was  an  article  in  the  warrant  "to  see  if 
the  Town  will  concur  with  the  Church  in  said  town.,  in  giving  a  call 
to  the  Rev.  Stephen  Chapin  to  settle  with  said  church."  The  vote 
was  in  the  affirmative,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  report  "what 
encouragement  ought  to  be  given  to  said  Chapin.  '  After  a  recess  of 
three-quarters  of  an  hour,  the  committee  reported  that  he  should  be 
paid  an  annual  salary  of  8100  "including  the  annual  interest  on  the 
ministerial  money."  Later,  a  day  was  voted  by  the  town  for  Mr. 
Chapin's  installation,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  manage  it, 
so  far  as  the  town  was  concerned. 

1813,  March  9.  Voted  "to  remove  the  seats  (except  the  front 
ones)  on  the  lower  floor  of  the  meeting-house,  and  sell  the  ground  at 
vendue  on  the  day  appointed  for  selling  the  Town's  poor." 

1818,  Nov.  9.  In  consequence  of  a  petition  signed  by  Asa 
Stevens  and  others,  an  article  was  put  in  the  warrant  "to  see  what 
measures  the  Town  will  take  relative  to  the  situation  of  the  Rev. 
Stephen  Chapin  and  the  People  of  his  charge  concerning  some 
scriptural  points." 

Voted  "to  choose  a  committee  to  wait  on  Mr.  Chapin  and  re- 
quest him  to  come  forward  and  make  a  publick  statement,  relative  to 
his  disposition." 

Also  voted  "that  Mr.  Chapin  be  dismissed  agreeable  to  his  re- 
quest." 

For  many  years  the  town  voted  to  appropriate  the  income  of 
what  was  commonly  known  as  the  "funded  money"  towards  the 
"support  of  the  Gospel."  The  term  for  the  same  money  was.  some- 
times, "ministerial  fund."     The  Rev.C.  C.  Carpenter  says  : 

"The  'ministerial  fund'  was  created  by  the  sale  of  the  'minis- 
terial laud,'  an  hundred  acres  or  so,  originally  set  aside  in  the  settle- 
ment of  a  town,  for  the  use  of  the  minister  as  long  as  he  remained 
such.  In  process  of  time,  because  they  were  remote  from  the  center 
of  the  town,  or  for  other  reasons,  this  was  sold  —  in  whole  or  part  — 
and  the  proceeds  made  a  fund,  the  income  of  which  was  to  be  used 
for  the  support  of  preaching — not  so  much  as  an  addition  to  his 
salary,  as  for  helping  the  people  to  make  up  the  amount  they  had 
pledged.     Some  times  this  fund,  through  mismanagement,  was  lost. 


86  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

and  in  other  eases  —  perhaps  the  most  —  used  in  some  emergency  for 
paying  debt  to  the  pastor.  In  some  other  cases,  when  other  denom- 
inations than  the  'standing  order'  sprang  up,  they  claimed  a  share  of 
it,  and  it  was  turned  over  to  them.  The  sum  was  not  large  in  any 
case,  as  the  lands  did  not  usually  bring  much." 

1821,  in  June,  there  was  an  article  in  the  warrant  "to  see  if  the 
town  will  vote  to  repair  the  outside  of  the  meetingdiouse,  agreeably 
to  an  act  of  the  Legislature  passed  in  1819,  and  raise  money  for  that 
purpose." 

On  this  it  was  voted  (Juue  15,  1821)  "to  repair  the  outside  of 
the  meeting-house.  To  choose  a  committee  to  report  the  repairs 
necessary  to  he  made,  and  the  best  manner  of  effecting  them." 

The  committee  were  evidently  prepared  beforehand,  for  after  a 
recess  of  half  an  hour,  they  reported:  "To  right  the  underpinning, 
and  point  it  with  lime,  supply  the  water-tables  and  clapboards  that 
are  wanting,  and  secure  all  the  clapboards  by  sufficient  nailing, 
shingle  the  two  porches,  and  the  roof  on  the  backside  with  good  15- 
inch  shingles,  laying  4  J  inches  to  the  weather,  supply  glass  and  putty 
and  mend  the  window  sashes,  make  a  new  frontdoor,  and  door-stools 
to  all  the  doors;  and  paint  the  house  with  two  coats  of  good  paint 
and  oil,  the  trimmings  with  white  lead,  and  the  body  of  the  house  a 
bright  yellow,  composed  of  2-5  of  white  and  3-5  a  French  yellow,  the 
doors  of  a  mogany  [mahogany]  color." 

The  committee  added  that  the  repairs  were  recommended  "to  be 
let  out  to  the  lowest  bidder  in  two  separate  jobs  or  lots,  viz.  :  The 
painting,  glass  and  p  itty  in  one  lot,  aid  all  the  other  repairs  specified 
in  another,  reserving  the  privilege  of  levting  the  wh  Ae  job  together, 
if  it  can  be  done  cheaper." 

The  Town  voted  to  accept  the  report,  and  that  the  repairs  must 
be  done  by  the  last  day  of  September;  and  chos3  a  committee  of 
three  to  oversee  and  accept  them.  Mr.  Porter  Kimball  offered  to 
do  the  entire  job  for  $239,  and  it  was  "struck  off"  to  him,  and  the 
Treasurer  was  authorized  to  borrow  the  money  and  pay  him. 

About  all  that  is  in  the  Town  records  for  several  years  after  this 
relative  to  the  church,  is  a  vote  each  year  that  the  income  of  the 
"funded  money"  be  paid  to  the  religious  society  for  the  support  of 
the  ministry ;  but  in  1825  there  was  an  article  in  the  warrant  "to  see 
if  the  Town  would  vote  to  purchase  a  parsonage"  with  the  funded 
monev,  or  a  part  of  it.  Instead  of  voting  this,  however,  it  was  voted 
"that  the  interest  be  appropriated   (as  last  year)   to  the  support  of 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  87 

the  Gospel ;  that  the  selectmen  collect  the  funded  money  as  soon  as 
consistent,  and  loan  it  to  the  Rev.  N.  Kingsbury,  by  his  giving  good 
security  —  providing  he  may  want  it." 

At  the  same  meeting  a  committee  was  appointed  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  letting  individuals  "build  horse-sheds  on  the  com- 
mon." It  does  not  appear  that  anything  was  done  under  this  vote, 
as  in  1831  it  was  voted  ''to  grant  individuals  the  privilege  to  erect 
horse-sheds  near  the  meeting-house." 

1832,  March  13,  it  was  again  voted  '-to  let  Rev.  N.  Kingsbury 
have  the  use  of  the  funded  money,  by  his  giving  satisfactory 
security." 

At  the  same  meeting  it  was  voted  that  "the  Rev.  N.  Kingsbury's 
society  keep  the  meeting-house  in  repair  the  present  year." 

It  was  also  voted  "that  ihe  selectmen  see  that  the  meeting-house 
is  properly  swept  after  this  meeting  has  adjourned." 

It  seems  that  the  meeting-house  caught  tire  in  the  winter  of 
1833-34,  for  at  an  adjourned  Town  meeting  held  April  7,  1834,  it 
was  voted  "to  repair  the  meeeting-housu" ;  and  further  it  was  voted 
"to  pay  those  who  watched  the  meeting-house  on  the  night  of  the  fire 
5  shillings  each  " 

1836,  March  22,  at  an  adjourned  meeting,  there  being  no  article 
in  the  warrant  on  that  subject,  it  was 

Voted,  "to  take  the  money  called  the  Ministerial  Money  to  defray 
the  expenses  of  the  Town,  to  be  paid  into  the  town  treasury  " 

1837,  March  14  There  was  an  article  in  the  warrant  "to  see  if 
the  town  will  hear  any  proposition  that  may  be  made  by  the  Congre- 
gational Society  in  this  place  for  new-modelling  the  meeting-house  " 

On  this  it  was  voted  t)  choose  a  committee  to  confer  with  a 
committee  of  the  Congregational  Society  respecting  this  article,  and 
Allen  Goodridge,  George  Raymond,  and  Jonathan  Herrick  were 
appointed 

This  committee  reported  at  an  adjourned  meeting,  and  the  report 
was  accepted      The  following  votes  were  then  passed: 

1.  "That  the  Town  unite  with  the  Congregational  Society  in  this 
place  in  new-modelling  the  meeting-house. 

2.  "That  one-half  the  ground  floor  of  said  meeting-house  be  ap- 
propriated for  a  Town  Hall. 

3.  "That  the  Town  furnish  the  Town  Hall  appropriated  for  their 
use,  and  that  they  sustain  the  roof  of  said  house,  making"  all  repairs 
which  may  be  required  from  time  to  time. 

4.  "That  the  Congregational  Society  be  at  the  expense  of  ill  1  alter- 


88  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

ations,  excepting  what  pertains  to  the  Town  Hall,  that  they  sustain  the 
body  of  said  house,  making  all  repairs  which  may  be  required  from 
time  to  time,  and  that  the  said  Congregational  Society  have  sole  control 
of  said  house,  excepting  the  Town  Hall  for  the  transaction  of  town  bus- 
iness. 

5.  "That  the  town  choose  an  agent  to  convey  their  right  or  interest 
in  the  Meeting-House  to  the  Congregational  Society,  reserving  the  right 
to  the  Town,  agreeably  to  the  above  votes." 

Chose  Jonathan  Herrick  to  make  the  above  conveyance. 

This  contract  was  scrupulously  adhered  to  fifty-nine  years,  and 
the  church  and  town  occupied  the  edifice  harmoniously,  within  clearly 
defined  limits,  until  the  building  of  the  new  church  in  1896 

Until  this  time  (1837)  the  meeting-house  had  stood  on  the 
common,  on  the  easterly  side  of  the  main  road  to  Milford  and  Am- 
herst; but  when  this  new  modelling  took  place,  it  was  moved  to  its 
present  site  on  the  westerly  side  of  the  road.  There  seems  to  be  no 
record  of  just  what  was  done  by  the  way  of  change  in  the  building, 
but  it  was  undoubtedly  finished  in  two  stories,  and  was  furnished 
with  a  bell  and  an  organ  It  is  also  probable  that  the  "two  porches" 
spoken  of  in  earlier  records  were  removed,  and  an  addition  was 
made  of  the  present  front,  on  which  was  erected  the  steeple  and 
belfry  Two  front  doors  were  put  in,  and  a  "vestry"  was  put  in  the 
lower  story,  while  the  rear  half  of  the  ground  floor  was  finished  as  a 
town  hall,  and  here  the  meetings  of  the  Town  were  held  until  the 
entire  building  was  taken  for  a  Town  Hall  in  1<S97 

Rev.  Mr.  Jennison,  who  was  pastor  at  the  time,  has  said  there 
was  no  formal  dedication  sermon  at  the  occupation  of  the  new  mod- 
elled building. 

1838,  March  13  It  was  voted  "to  finish  the  Town  Hall  the 
present  year;"  also 

"That  the  selectmen  cause  the  Town  Hall  to  be  finished  the 
present  year,  with  as  many  new  windows  as  they  shall  deem  needful :" 
also 

"That  the  town  pay  for  ringing  the  bell  for  funerals,  and  on  all 
occasions  except  for  Society  meetings,  at  $7.50  per  year." 

1840,  March  10  Voted  "that  Nathaniel  Bruce  be  a  ommittee 
to  ascertain  if  the  town  have  a  right  to  sell  the  land  on  the  common 
east  of  the  road  passing  by  the  Meeting-House." 

1841,  March  9  Voted  "that  the  bell  be  rung  at  12  of  the 
clock,  noon,  and  at  nine  of  the  clock  at  night,  and  the  town  pay  Mr. 
Shattuck  a  reasonable  compensation." 


HISTORY  OF  .MONT  VERNON.  89 

1842,  March  8.  Voted  "thai  the  Town  buy  <>r  procure  a 
Hearse,  Hearse-house  and  harness  for  the  use  of  the  town  : 

"That  X.  Bruce  be  a  committee  to  procure  the  same: 

'•That  the  selectmen  cause  the  necessary  repairs  to  be  made  on 
the  outside  of  the  Meeting-House  as  soon  as  practicable. 

"That  the  Town  pay  for  ringing  the  hell  once  in  a  day.  That 
it  be  rung  at  noon 

"That  if  the  person  who  rings  the  bell  fails  to  ring  it  at  the  true 
time,  as  a  general  thing,  he  shall  have  nothing  for  the  same." 

1843,  March  14.  Voted,  "That  the  Town  rebuild  the  wall  in 
front  of  the  burying-ground 

"To  buy  a  stove  for  the   Town-house." 

The  last  service  in  the  o  d  meeting-house  occurred  on  Sunday, 
July  5,  1896,  the  sermon  being  preached  by  the  Rev.  C.  F.  P.  Ban- 
croft, D  D  ,  Principal  of  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Mass.  The 
then  Pastor,  Rev.  T.  J.  Lewis,  conducted  the  devotional  exercises. 
It  was  an  occasion  of  surpassing  interest.  For  something  over  116 
years  the  venerable  building  had  been  used  as  a  place  of  worship  on 
this  hill-top.  It  had  been  hallowed  by  many  prayers  and  sermons, 
christenings  and  baptisms,  marriages  and  funerals.  It  was  dear  to 
all  the  people  of  the  town,  and  however  much  more  comely  and  com- 
fortable the  new  meeting  house  might  be.  the  old  house  of  worship 
held  a  place  in  their  hearts  which  no  more  modern  structure  could 
fill. 

AS  A  TOWN  HALL. 

The  frame  of  the  old  meeting-house  was  of  the  durable  character 
of  buildings  constructed  in  those  days.  It  is  of  hewn  oak,  and  as  the 
building  has  always  stood  upon  the  solid  rock,  which,  in  many  points 
near  the  site  crops  out  in  a  ledgy  surface,  it  has  mainly  kept  sound 
until  this  day 

When  the  new  meeting-house  was  completed,  in  1896,  a  move- 
ment was  started  to  dispose  of  the  Congregational  Society's  right  and 
interest  in  the  old  meeting-house.  The  first  suggestion  was  that  the 
town  should  buy  out  the  society's  interest  in  the  laud  and  building, 
and  pay  81500  therefor.  At  the  March  meeting  of  1895  such  an 
article  was  put  into  the  warrant,  but  it  was  voted  "to  pass  by  the 
article."  Similar  action  was  taken  in  1896.  In  1897  at  the  March 
meeting,  it  was  voted  "to  appoint  a  committee  of  five  to  report  a  bill 


90  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

covering  the  whole  matter."  The  committee  consisted  of  Willard 
P.  Woods,  Daniel  Richardson,  Geo.  W.  Averill,  Wm.  G.  Burnham, 
and  Henry  F.  Dodge,  and  they  reported  the  following  resolution, 
which  was  adopted  : 

"Resolved,  That  the  selectmen  be  instructed  to  quitclaim  to  the 
Mont  Vernon  Congregational  church  Society  all  right  and  title  to  "land 
and  buildings  on  east  side  of  road,  known  as  the  Woodbury  land, 
upon  condition  that  said  Society  quitclaim  all  right  and  title  to  land 
on  west  side  of  said  road  including  buildings  thereon." 

The  deed  of  conveyance  was  as  follows : 

KNOW  ALL  MEN  BY  THESE  PRESENTS, 

THAT  the  Town  of  Mont  Vernon,  County  of  Hillsborough 
and  State  of  New  Hampshire,  for  and  in  consideration  of 
the  sum  of  One  Dollar  and  valuable  considerations  before  the 
delivery  hereof,  well  and  truly  paid  by  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Society  of  Mont  Vernon,  New  Hampshire  aforesaid, 
the  receipt  whereof  it  doth  hereby  acknowledge,  have  re- 
mised, released,  and  forever  QUITCLAIMED,  and  do  by 
these  presents  remise,  release,  and  forever  QUITCLAIM 
unto  the  said  First  Congregational  Society  of  Mont  Vernon 
and  its  assigns  forever  : 

All  that  certain  piece,  tract  or  parcel  of  land  situated, 
lying  and  being  in  said  Mont  Vernon  in  the  County  of  Hills- 
borough and  said  State  of  New  Hampshire,  and  described 
as  follows  :  so  much  of  the  "Meeting  House  lot"  so  called, 
as  is  situated  east  of  the  main  road  leading  from  Mont  Vernon 
village  to  Milford,  and  the  buildings  "New  Church  and  Par- 
sonage" thereon. 

TO  HAVE  AND  TO  HOLD  the  afore-described  premises, 
with  all  the  privileges  and  appurtenances  thereunto  belonging 
to  the  said  First  Congregational  Church  and  Society  and 
assigns,  to  its  and  their  use  and  behoof  forever. 

IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  Town  of  Mont  Vernon 
by  its  selectmen  have  hereunto  set  their  hand  and  seals  this 
eighth  day  of  April,  in  the  Year  of  Our  Lord,  One  Thousand 
Eight  Hundred  and  Ninety-seven. 

Signed,  sealed  and  delivered  in  presence  of  us  : 

HARRY  G.  BLOOD,   )    Selectmen 

W.   L.   ROBINSON,  of 

W.   II.   KENDALL,       )    Mont  Vernon. 

It  may  be  as  well  to  give,  here,  the  corresponding  deed  given  by 
the  Society  to  the  Town,  which  was  as  follows  : 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  91 

First  Congregational  Society  of  Mont  Vernon  to  Town  of 
Mont  Vernon. 

KNOW  ALL  MEN  BY  THESE  PRESENTS 

THAT  the  First  Congregational  Society  of  Mont  Vernon, 
New  Hampshire  .  a  corporation  duly  established  under  the 
laws  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  for  and  in  considera- 
tion of  the  sum  of  One  Dollar  and  other  good  and  valuable 
considerations  to  it  before  the  delivery  hereof,  well  and  truly 
paid  by  the  Town  of  Mont  Vernon,  the  receipt  whereof  it 
doth  hereby  acknowledge,  hath  remised,  released  and  forever 
QUITCLAIMED  and  by  these  presents  doth  remise,  release 
and  forever  QUITCLAIM  unto  the  said  Town  of  Mont 
Vernon,  and  its  assigns  forever: 

All  that  certain  piece,  tract  or  parcel  of  land  situate,  lying 
and  being  in  said  Mont  Vernon,  in  the  County  of  Hills- 
borough and  said  State  of  New  Hampshire,  and  described 
as  follows  :  So  much  of  the  "Meeting  House  lot"  so  called, 
as  is  situated  west  of  the  main  road,  including  the  premises 
acquired  by  said  Society  from  Israel  Burnham  and  from 
George  W.  Averill,  excepting  so  much  thereof  as  has  been 
heretofore  released  to  the  said  Averill,  together  with  the 
Meeting  House  thereon,  subject,  however,  to  the  following 
conditions  :  First,  that  this  release  shall  not  in  any  wise 
affect  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  owners  of  the  horse- 
sheds  on  said  premises.  Second,  that  said  Town  shall 
maintain  a  bell  on  the  building,  on  said  premises,  which  bell 
said  Society  and  the  Church  connected  therewith  shall  have 
the  right  to  ring  for  all  meetings  of  said  Church  or  Society. 

Third,  that  said  Church  or  Society  shall  have  the  right  to 
use  the  hall  in  said  building  for  business  meetings  or  enter- 
tainments without  charge,  except  for  the  cost  of  heating  and 
lighting.  TO  HAVE  AND  TO  HOLD  the  said  granted 
premises  with  all  the  privileges  and  appurtenances  to  the 
same  belonging  to  the  said  Town  of  Mont  Vernon  and  its 
assigns,  to  its  and  their  own  proper  use  and  benefit  forever. 

In  witness  whereof  the  said  First  Congregational  Society 
has  caused  a  seal  to  be  hereto  affixed  and  these  presents  to 
be  signed,  acknowledged  and  delivered  in  its  name  and 
behalf  by  Frances  A.  Holt  as  Treasurer,  hereunto  duly 
authorized  this  eighth  day  of  April  in  the  year  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  ninety-seven.  Signed,  sealed  and  de- 
livered in  presence  of : 

First  Congregational 

W.  II.  CONANT,     )  w.  Society 

W.  H.  KENDALL,  j  vvitnesses-     Df  Mont  Vernon. 

FRANCES  A.  HOLT,  Treasurer. 


92  HISTORY  OP  MONT  VERNON. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  First  Congregational  Society  of  Mont 
Vernon,  New  Hampshire,  duly  called  for  the  purpose  and  held  in  said 
Mont  Vernon  on  the  twenty-second  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1897,  and 
adjourned  to  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  March,  the  foregoing  deed  hav- 
ing been  read  and  considered,  the  following  vote  was  passed: 

Voted,  that  Frances  A.  Holt,  the  Treasurer,  is  hereby  authorized 
and  instructed  to  execute,  acknowledge  and  deliver  in  the  name  and 
behalf  of  the  Society,  the  deed  from  said  Society  to  the  Town  of 
Mont  Vernon  which  has  just  bsen  read. 

A  true  copy :  Attest,  CLARK  CAMPBELL,  Clerk. 

Here  ended,  finally,  the  co-partnership  between  the  Town  and 
the  Church  and  Congregational  Society,  which  formally  began  in 
1857,  but  which  was  really  initiated  when  the  town  was  incorporated 
in  1803,  and  which  grew  out  of  that  union  of  "church  and  state," 
which  existed  from  the  beginning  of  New  England  history.  But  even 
at  this  writing,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  deeds  which  passed  between 
the  Town  and  the  Society,  there  are  still  vestiges  of  the  old  partner- 
ship left,  as  in  the  provisions  of  the  deed  of  the  Society  to  the  Town, 
the  right  was  reserved  to  use  the  bell,  which  was  allowed  to  remain 
in  its  old  place  in  the  belfry  of  the  old  meeting  house,  for  summoning 
its  worshipers  to  all  meetings,  and  also  the  right  to  use  the  Town 
Hall  for  business  meetings  and  entertainments,  free  of  charge,  except 
for  the  cost  of  heating  and  lighting.  Furthermore  the  rights  of  the 
individual  owners  of  the  horse-sheds  were  reserved  to  them,  under  the 
transfer.  It  was  said  that  the  bell  was  allowed  to  remain  in  the  old 
belfry  to  head  off  the  mischievous  youth  of  the  town,  who  were  ac- 
customed to  break  into  the  building  on  the  night  before  the  Fourth 
of  July,  and  begin  the  celebration  of  Independence  at  midnight  in  the 
waywhuh  Daniel  Webster  said  John  Adams  would  have  recom- 
mended. It  might  be  considered  an  open  question  whether  the  Town 
needed  specifically  to  convey  the  new  meeting-house  and  parsonage, 
for  if  any  buildings  ever  belonged  to  the  Society,  which  built  them, 
with  no  aid  from  the  Town,  these  two  did.  However,  it  was  only  a 
swapping  of  an}T  and  all  possible  rights,  giving  the  Town  a  clear  and 
indisputable  right  to  the  property  on  the  west  side  of  the  road,  subj  ct 
only  to  the  reservations  named  above,  and  the  Society  an  equally 
clear  title  to  the  property  on  the  east  side  of  the  road. 

It  is  supposed,  however,  that  another  vestige  of  the  Town  and 
Society  partnership  remains,  in  a  joint  ownership  of  the  building 
originally  erected  for  an  Academy,  and  a  school  room  for  the  Centre 
di    rict,  long  known  as  the  Chapel,  and  used  for  many  years  as  such 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  93 

by  the  church.  It  is  believed,  without  any  conclusive  documentary 
evidence,  that  the  upper  part  of  this  building  was  given  to  the  Soci- 
ety by  the  proprietors,  who  built  it  by  issuing  shares  at  $5  each, 
as  will  be  seen  later  in  the  chapter  relating  to  schools.  Since  the 
new  meeting-house  was  built,  the  church  has  had  no  use  for  it,  and 
at  this  writing  it  is  rented  by  the  Grange,  or  "Patrons  of  Hus- 
bandry." It  is  understood  that  this  piece  of  land  was  not  a  part 
of  the  "meeting-house  lot"  quitclaimed  in  above  deed. 

The  tendency  to  such  partnerships  seems  to  have  been  strong  in 
Mont  Vernon,  and  about  this  time,  the  Congregational  Society  and 
the  Trustees  of  McCollom  Institute  established  a  new  and  better  line 
between  their  adjoining  premises  by  a  similar  device  of  quitclaiming 
to  each  other. 

The  vote  of  the  Town  above  recorded  was  supplemented  by 
votes  appropriating  the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  "to  reconstruct 
the  old  church  into  a  town  hall;"  and  Wm.  G.  Burnham,  Geo.  W. 
Averill,  Clark  Campbell,  Wm.  H.  Kendall,  and  Joseph  W.  Averill 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  cai'ry  out  the  vote. 

At  a  special  town  meeting  held  Aug.  1G,  1897,  it  was  voted  to 
appropriate  not  exceeding  five  hundred  dollars  "to  complete  the  Town 
House;"  and  also  "to  purchase  the  seats  for  the  town  hall." 

In  making  the  changes  the  floor  of  the  old  church,  running  on  an 
incline  from  the  entrance  to  the  back  of  the  auditorium,  was  taken 
out,  and  replaced  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  the  rooms  below  a  little 
higher  posted  and  more  usable  than  before.  A  dining  room,  select- 
men's room,  and  kitchen  were  arranged  on  the  ground  floor,  in  the  place 
of  the  old  basement,  used  partly  as  a  town  hall,  and  partly  as  a  furnace 
room.  The  two  entrances  on  the  east  end  were  closed,  and  a  large 
one  made  in  the  centre.  The  two  short  flights  of  stairs  on  either  side 
of  the  lower  entry,  leading  to  one  of  corresponding  size  above,  were 
torn  out,  and  a  wider  stairway  made  on  right  of  entrance.  The  same 
arrangement  regarding  changes  of  entrances  into  the  church  audi- 
torium were  made  in  the  upper  hallway.  The  main  hall  is  exactly 
the  same  in  size  and  form  as  was  the  old  church  auditorium,  the  only 
changes  being  in  making  the  floor  level  and  in  the  frescoing  of  walls 
and  ceiling.  The  stone  steps  were  not  changed  The  furnace  was 
in  use  in  the  old  church.  The  windows  were  changed  from  small 
panes  of  glass  to  larger  ones,  but  not  as  to  the  size  of  the  frames. 
The   space   formerly  occupied  by  the  choir  loft  has  been  made  into  a 


94  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

commodious  stage,  with  curtains  and  foot-lights,  and  an  ante-room 
on  either  side. 

When  the  building  was  remodelled  into  a  town  hall  there  were 
found  sundry  interesting  relics  of  former  times,  which  had  gotten  out 
of  sight  in  the  unfinished  roof  or  in  the  belfry  tower.  The  most  in- 
teresting was  a  baptismal  bowl  made  of  white  metal,  pewter  or 
Britannia,  about  nine  and  one-half  inches  in  diameter  and  two  a  half 
inches  in  depth.  It  is  of  "repousse"  or  hammered  work  on  the  side, 
with  a  rim  apparently  turned  on  a  lathe,  and  in  the  centre  of  the 
bottom  inside,  it  has,  in  relief,  as  a  crest,  a  stag's  head,  and  under- 
neath a  monogram,  the  lower  part  of  which  is  worn  smooth,  but  the 
upper  part  shows  half  of  two  letters  in  script  which  may  be  "P.  R." 
or  "B.  R."  or  B.  B."  or  some  combination  similar.  None  who  have 
seen  the  bowl  can  recall  that  it  was  ever  in  use  in  their  day.  It 
apparently  must  have  disappeared  in  1837,  when  the  meetiug-house 
was  moved  and  remodelled,  and  some  who  have  examined  it  are  of 
the  opinion  that  it  is  a  piece  of  Paul  Revere's  handiwork,  and  that  it 
is  his  monogram  which  is  on  the  bottom  of  the  bowl.  The  crest, 
however,  is  not  identified  as  his,  even  if  he  had  one,  and  the  letters 
of  the  monogram  are  too  indistinct  as  to  their  lower  half  to  be 
legible. 

The  other  things  found  at  the  same  time  were  an  old-fashioned 
tin  lantern,  with  holes  all  around  to  let  the  light  shine  through,  two 
very  old-fashioned  oil  lamps  of  metal,  made  to  hang  on  the  wall,  and 
an  old-fashioned  whale-oil  hand  lamp  of  the  style  known  as  the  •' petti- 
coat" lamp. 

The  new  town  hall  was  dedicated  on  the  evening  of  September 
8,  1897.  Speeches  were  made  by  chairman  of  the  committee,  W.  G. 
Burnham,  who  introduced  Hon.  G-eo.  A.  Mardeu,  of  Lowell,  Mass., 
as  president  of  the  evening,  who  introduced  the  following  speakers  : 
Gov.  Geo.  A.  Ramsdell,  a  former  student  at  the  Academy  here,  who 
made  a  reminiscent  and  very  interesting  speech  ;  Hon.  Chas.  H.  Burns, 
of  Wilton;  John  H.  Colby,  Esq.,  of  Boston;  Hon.  Arthur  H.  Well- 
man,  of  Maiden;  Hon.  George  A.  Bruce,  of  Somerville;  Col.  W.  H. 
Stinson,  of  Dunbarton ;  Mr.  Chas.  E.  Osgood,  of  Boston. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  NEW  MEETING-HOUSE. 

How  the  Project  Started — Building  Committee — The  Dedication 
— Dedicatory  Service — Full  Programme  cf  Exercises — Re- 
port of  Building  Committee — The  New  Meeting-House 
Turned  Over  to  the  Society — Accepted  by  the  Society — 
Dedication  Sermon — Full  Description  of  the  Edifice — Me- 
morial Windows. 

Just  when  the  project  for  a  new  meeting-house  took  definite 
shape  is  not  known.  As  early  as  1890  a  movement  was  begun  to  raise 
money  for  remodelling  the  old  meeting-house,  which  had  become  an 
apparent  necessity.  The  pulpit  was  located  at  the  easterly  end  of 
the  audience  room,  between  the  doors  of  entrance,  and  everybody 
who  entered  the  room  had  to  "face  the  congregation  ;"  while  the  floor 
had  a  determined  slope,  rising  several  inches  from  front  to  rear,  to 
enable  all  readily  to  see  the  occupant  of  the  pulpit.  It  was  very 
awkward  for  the  late  comer,  no  matter  how  great  his  or  her  assurance 
or  lack  of  self-consciousness.  The  whole  building  needed  renovation 
and  repair. 

After  considerable  agitation  in  this  direction,  without  making 
much  progress,  the  project  of  building  a  new  meeting-house  was  sug- 
gested, but  it  was  considered  almost  preposterous  to  expect  to  secure 
the  necessary  funds.  A  timely  and  most  generous  offer,  however, 
from  two  ladies,  descendants  of  a  native  of  the  town,  opened  the 
way,  and  in  a  short  time  the  necessary  amount  was  secured. 

A  building  committee  was  chosen  by  the  Society,  consisting  of 
Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden,  of  Lowell,  John  H.  Colby,  Esq.,  of  Boston, 
Clark  Campbell,  John  T.  McCollom  and  Wm.  H.  Kendall  of  Mont 
Vernon,  who  wen;  empowered  to  report  on  a  site,  and,  later,  were 
authorized  to  erect  a  new  church  building.      As   the   report  of  this 


96  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

committee  made  at  the  dedication  gives,  in  detail,  the  story  of  the 
enterprise,  it  will  be  necessary  only  to  refer  to  it  as  given  quite  fully 
below.  It  wjs  a  strenuous  enterprise  for  the  little  community,  even 
to  raise  the  &6000.  required  to  secure  the  liberal  donations  of  Mrs. 
Richardson  and  Miss  Stevens,  but  there  was  a  generous  rivalry  mong 
former  citizens,  natives,  summer  visitors,  and  local  organizations,  in 
contributing  money,  and  on  the  7th  of  July,  1806,  the  fine  little 
church  edifice  was  complete,  both  in  finishing  and  furnishing,  and 
ready  for  dedication.  The  Manchester  Daily  Union,  which  published 
an  extended  report  of  the  dedication,  said: 

"The  dedication  of  the  church  had  been  carefully  planned,  and 
it  was  not  the  committee's  fault  that  the  weather  kept  away  many 
who  might  otherwise  have  attended.  Meteorological  conditions  were 
anything  but  favorable.  There  had  been  a  steady  drizzle  for  three 
days,  and  this  morning  found  no  change.  A  heavy  black  cloud  hung 
ominously  over  the  hill,  and  the  rain  drizzled  and  dripped  in  the  most 
approved  fashion,  until  noon.  Then  the  cloud  settled  down  over  the 
hill  and  enveloped  the  entire  town. 

"Then  it  poured.  Great  basketfuls  of  rain  fell  out  of  that 
cloud  and  anybody  who  happened  to  be  out  got  wet.  But  there  was 
quite  a  crowd  out  to  the  dedication  with  all  the  disadvantages.  The 
morning  train  brought  along  a  few  visitors  and  many  others  interest- 
ed in  the  church  drove  into  town. 

Among  the  visitors  were  the  Rev.  D.  W.  Waldron,  Boston  city 
missionary,  and  Miss  Waldron  ;  I.  E.  Noyes,  president  of  the  Metro- 
politan National  bank,  Boston:  Sydney  F.  Squires,  Boston;  the  Rev. 
F.  H.  Page,  Lawrence,  Mass.;  the  Rev.  H.  P.  Peck,  Milford  ;  the 
Rev.  Dr.  R.  A.  Beard,  Nashua;  Miss  Catherine  A.  Stevens,  New 
York  city;  the  Rev.  C.  A.  Towle,  Iowa:  Prof.  C.  S.  Campbell,  Pin- 
kerton  academy,  Deny;  the  Rev.  C.  F.  P.  Bancroft,  principal  of 
Phillips  academy,  Andover,  Mass.  ;  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge,  Fishkill-on- 
the-Hudson;  ex-Sheriff  John  M.  Clark,  Boston;  Col.  James  F.  Hill, 
Boston;  H.  Porter  Smith.  Cambridge,  Mass.;  Mrs.  Asa  Stevens, 
New  York  city;  Mrs.  J.  A.  Parker,  Summit,  N.  J.;  the  Rev. 
William  H.  Hopkins,  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  ;  the  Rev.  R.  II.  McGown, 
a  former  pastor  of  the  church,  Everett,  Mass. ;  the  Rev.  T.  M. 
Davies  and  wife,  Manchester,  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  W.  R.  Cochrane, 
Antrim. 

The  Dedicatory  Services. 

The  dedicatory  exercises  began  promptly  at  1  :  30  o'clock,  and 
the  church  was  comfortably  tilled,  although  a  few  chairs  were  ar- 
ranged in  the  aisles  for  the  slight  overflow. 


THE   NEW    MEETING    HOUSE. 
Dedicated  July  7,  1896. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  97 

There  were  on  the  platform,  the  Rev.  R.  H.  McGown  of  Everett, 
Mass.;  Rev.  Dr.  Warren  R.  Cochrane  of  Antrim;  the  Rev.  Nehemiah 
Boynton  D.D.,  of  Detroit,  Mich.,  and  Deacon  William  II.  Kendall, 
George  A.  Marden,  Clark  Campbell,  John  T.  McCollom,  and  John 
H.  Colby  of  the  building  committee. 

The  following  was  the  order  of  exercises  : 

EXERCISES. 


1.  ORGAN  PRELUDE. 

Solon  \V.  Stevens,  Esq., 
Organist  First  Congregational  Church,  Lowell,  Mass. 

2.  INVOCATION. 

Rev.  John  Thorpe,  Andover,  N.  H., 
A  Former  Pastor. 

3.  ANTHEM— "Except  the  Lord  Build  the  House,"  Gilchrist 

Bv  The  Choir. 

4.  SCRIPTURE   LESSON. 

Rev.  Augustus  Berry,  Pelham,  N.  H., 
Former  principal  of  Appleton  Academy. 

5.  ARIA — "With  Verdure  Clad,"  From  The  Creation 

Mrs.  O.  F.  Davis,  Plymoith,  Mass., 
A  former  preceptress  of  the  Academy. 

6.  Report  of  Building  Committee  and  Transfer  to  First  Con- 

gregational Society. 

Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden,  Lowell,  Mass.,  Chairman. 

7.  ACCEPTANCE    BY    FIRST   CONGREGATIONAL    SOCIETY. 

Deacon  Wm.  H.  Conant,  President. 

8.  OFFERTORY. 

9.  HYMN— Written  by  Mr.  H.  Porter  Smith,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

Tune  " Anvern .' " 

Choir  and  Congregation. 

God  of  our  fathers!  here  we  raise  This  house  shall  be  a  beacon  light, 

A  grateful  song,  a  hymn  of  praise,—  Far  reaching  from  its  beauteous  height; 

Thou  safely  didst  the  fathers  lead,  Triumphant  Faith  its  walls  inspire, 

And  hast  supplied  their  children's  need.  Its  altar  burn  with  heavenly  fire. 

With  a  new  song  to-day  we  come  Now  may  Thy  grace  our  souls  renew, 

Within  these  walls,  our  Sabbath  home;  Give  us  of  Thee  a  clearer  view. 

Firm  on  this  mount  our  temple  stands,  May  all  our  lives  be  sanctified, 

Accept  the  labor  of  our  hands.  And,  like  this  temple,  beautified. 

In  what  our  hands,  dear  Lord,  have  done,  Then  shall  the  prophecy  of  old, 

Our  hearts  have  been  with  love  led  on;  Be  here  fulfilled  to  bless  this  fold, 

The  gifts  a  joy,  the  labors  sweet—  And  ours  the  word  of  promise  be— 

Behold  this  house  of  Thine,  complete  !  The  Lord  will  build  a  house  for  thee. 


98  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

10.  DEDICATION  SERMON. 

Ri-:v.  NEHEMIAH  Boynton,  D. D.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

11.  HYMN— Written  by  Dea.  W.  H.  Conant,  Tune,  "Italian  Hymn." 

Choir  and  Congregation. 

Oh,  Thou  whose  presence  fills  Here  may  a  fruitful  soil 

These  temples  of  the  hills  Reward  the  lab'rer's  toil 

With  light  aud  power,  An  hundred  fold. 

Enter  this  sacred  place  Endue  Thy  Church  with  power, 

With  consecrating  grace,  Send  Pentecostal  shower, 

While  now  we  seek  Thy  face,  Bring  Ziou's  favored  hour 

This  holy  hour.  To  young  and  old. 

Here,  where  our  fathers  prayed,  Stand  on  this  hill-top,  then, 

And  sure  foundations  laid,  Thou  witness  unto  men, 

In  early  days,  In  His  dear  name. 
Memorial  stones  we  place,  Sound  out  o'er  hill  and  plain- 
That  future  years  may  trace  God's  Love  and  Truth  remain, 
Thy  wondrous  love  and  grace,  Christ  and  His  Cross  are  gain— 

And  speak  Thy  praise.  Ever  the  same. 

12.  DEDICATORY  PRAYER. 

Rev.  Warren  R.  Cochrane,  D. D.,  Antrim. 

13.  BENEDICTION. 

By  the  Pastor,  Rev.  T.  J.  Lewis. 

After  the  introductory  exercises,  in  accordance  with  the  above 
program,  George  A.  Marden  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  chairman  of  the  build- 
ing committee,  then  transferred  the  keys  of  the  church  to  the  society. 
His  words  were  : 

CHAIRMAN  MARDEN'S  REPORT. 

I  do  not  know  just  when  this  movement  tor  building-  a  new  meeting 
house  was  started.  The  original  proposition  was  to  remodel  the  old 
meeting  house,  and  the  first  money  raised  by  that  indefatigable  and 
most  successful  organization,  the  Ladies'  Home  Circle,  for  improved 
church  accommodations,  was  for  remodeling. 

Later  a  most  generous  proposition  was  made  by  Mrs.  M.  Grace 
Richardson  and  Miss  Catherine  A.  Stevens  of  New  York,  daughters  of 
the  late  Calvin  Stevens,  a  native  of  this  town,  that  if  the  sum  of  $6000 
should  be  pledged  towards  the  building  of  a  new  church  edifice,  they 
would  each  add  the  sum  of  $2500  to  the  fund.  This  proposition  gave 
new  impetus  to  the  enterprise,  and  subscriptions  began  to  come  in  so 
freely  that  active  steps  were  taken  to  put  the  society  in  shape  to  utilize 
them.  It  was  found  on  investigation  that  the  society  had  virtually 
lapsed,  from  failure  to  hold  its  annual  meetings  legally,  and  the  first 
step  taken  was  to  resuscitate  the  organization  by  petitioning  a  justice  of 
the  peace  to  call  a  meeting,  as  provided  in  the  Public  Statutes,  when 
the  society  could  be  re-organized. 

This  meeting  was  held  May  11,  1895.  Officers  were  duly  chosen, 
a  code  of  by-laws  was  adopted,  and  it  was  voted  that  names  of  a  build- 
ing committee  of  five  members,  "to  erect  a  new  church  building",  should 
be  reported  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  society. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  99 

A  subsequent  meeting  was  called  on  the  25th  of  May,  and  a  full 
discussion  of  the  enterprise  was  had,  and  announcements  were  made  as 
to  funds  pledged,  from  which  it  appeared  that  the  amount  required  by 
Mrs.  Richardson  and  Miss  Stevens,  to  wit:  $6000,  had  been  pledged. 
The  society  then  unanimously  voted  that  a  new  church  should  be  built, 
and  a  committee  of  five  should  be  appointed  to  carry  this  vote  into  effect. 
It  is  in  behalf  of  that  committee  that  I  now  beg  leave  to  report. 

Your  committee  was  first  instructed  to  inquire  as  to  the  cost  of 
several  lots  which  had  been  suggested  as  a  site  for  the  new  meeting 
house,  and  at  an  adjourned  meeting  held  June  8,  1895,  it  was  voted  that 
the  building  committee  "be  given  full  powers  as  to  the  location  and 
erection  of  the  church."  The  committee  at  once  organized  and  investi- 
gated the  several  sites  proposed,  and  at  a  special  meeting  of  the  socie- 
ty, held  August  17,  1895,  it  was  further  voted  that  "the  building 
committee  have  full  power  to  locate,  build  and  equip  a  church  edifice 
for  the  first  Congregational  society."  The  money  subscribed  was  at 
once  called  for,  and  a  large  proportion  of  it  was  soon  in  the  hands  of 
the  treasurer  of  the  committee. 

The  site  selected  for  the  new  building  was  this  spot,  on  the  land 
originally  given  by  James  Woodbury,  and  conveyed  by  him  January  5, 
1786,  to  the  Second  parish  of  Amherst  "for  the  use  of  a  meeting  house 
spot,  and  likewise  for  a  common."  Mont  Vernon  did  not  at  that  time 
exist  as  a  town,  and  Mr.  Woodbury  was  a  citizen  of  Amherst,  occupy- 
ing the  house  across  the  way,  now  owned  by  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge.  The 
Second  parish  had  been  incorporated  in  1781  "for  transacting  ministe- 
rial affairs,"  and  the  petition  for  the  act  of  incorporation  alleges  that 
the  petitioners  had  for  some  time  maintained  public  worship  in  a 
commodious  meeting  house  erected  for  the  purpose,  and  on  this  same 
land,  which  in  178b  was  conveyed  by  Mr.  Woodbury  to  the  parish.  For 
in  1784  the  parish  voted  to  "to  choose  a  committee  to  take  a  deed  from 
Lieutenant  Woodbury  in  behalf  of  said  parish  for  the  ground  that  the 
meeting-house  stands  on,"  a  copy  of  which  deed  is  now  in  our  possession. 

In  1802  the  parish  voted  to  petition  the  Legislature  to  set  it  off  from 
Amherst,  and  incorporate  it  as  "a  distinct  town,"  and  also  to  ask  that 
a  strip  half  a  mile  wide  from  Lyndeborough  be  joined  with  it.  In  1803, 
December  15,  the  new  town  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  Mont 
Vernon. 

In  1804  the  town  voted  to  "take  a  transfer  of  all  parish  matters" 
including  all  moneys,  grants  and  obligations  in  favor  of  said  parish, 
and  thus  the  town  succeeded  the  parish  as  trustee  under  the  Woodbury 
deed,  of  the  property  conveyed  by  him  to  the  parish.  The  town  records 
show  that  the  town  exercised  all  parish  functions  in  transacting  minis- 
terial affairs  (to  use  the  exact  language  of  the  act  incorporating  the 
parish),  including  the  repairs  and  alterations  in  the  meeting  house,  the 
care  of  and  jurisdiction  over  the  Woodbury  property,  the  calling,  set- 
tling and  dismissing  of  the  minister  in  connection  with  the  church,  and 
levying  taxes  to  pay  the  minister's  salary  voted  by  the  town. 

No  mention  of  a  "society"  appears  in  the  records  until  1821,  when 
the  town  voted  "the  interest  of  the  funded  money"  (whatever  that 
might  have  been),  to  "the  Congregational  society  for  the  support  of 
of  the  Gospel,"  and  this  was  passed  annually  for  several  years,  and  it 
seems  that  this  was  the  town's  only  contribution  to  the  minister's  sala- 
ry, there  bein^  no  mention  of  any  tax  levied  for  this  purpose. 

In  1832  it  was  voted  by  the"  town  that  "the  Rev.  N.  Kingsbury's 
society  keep  the  meeting  house  in  repair  the  present  year." 

In  1836  it  was  voted  "to  take  the  money  called  the  ministerial  mon- 
ey to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  town,  to  be  paid  into  the  town  treasury." 
This  indicated  a  growing   divorce   between   the   town    and    its   original 


100  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

parish  functions,  and  in  1837  the  town  voted  to  choose  a  committee  to 
confer  with  a  committee  of  the  Congregational  society  concerning 
"any  proposition  which  might  be  made  by  said  society  for  new  model- 
ling of  the  meeting  house." 

The  two  committees  were  'chosen  and  met  and  reported,  and  the 
town  accepted  the  report  and  passed  the  following  votes: 

(1).  That  the  town  unite  with  the  Congregational  society  in  this 
place  in  remodeling  the  meeting  house. 

(2).  That  one-half  the  ground  floor  of  said  meeting  house  be  appro- 
priated for  a  Town  Hall. 

(3).  That  the  town  finish  the  Town  Hall  appropriated  for  their 
use,  and  that  they  sustain  the  roof  of  said  house,  making  all  repairs 
which  may  be  required  from  time  to  time. 

(4).  That  the  Congregational  society  be  at  the  expense  of  all  alter- 
ations excepting  what  pertain  to  the  Town  Hall;  that  they  sustain  the 
body  of  the  house,  making-  all  repairs  which  may  be  required  from  time 
to  time,  and  that  the  said  Congregational  society  have  sole  control  of 
said  house,  excepting-  the  Town  Hall  for  the  transaction  of  town  busi- 
ness. 

(5).  That  the  town  choose  an  agent  to  convey  their  right  or  interest 
in  the  meeting  house  to  the  Congregational  society,  reserving  the  right 
to  the  town  agreeabty  to  the  above  votes. 

Jonathan  Herrick  was  chosen  the  agent  to  make  the  conveyance, 
and  he  probably  made  it  in  due  form,  although  there  is  no  record  of  the 
same,  anj'  more  than  there  is  a  record  of  the  original  conveyance  by  the 
parish  to  the  town. 

It  is  not  probable  that  any  action  has  been  taken  on  this  subject  by 
the  town  since  1837,  until  January  18,  1890.  when  it  was  voted  that  "the 
town  relinquish  all  claims  to  the  Town  Hall,  provided  that  another 
place  is  provided  for  town  meetings." 

I  have  recapitulated  these  facts  to  show  that  this  Congregational 
society  had  an  existence  many  years  ago,  which  was  recognized  by  the 
town,  and  that  it  had  and  still  has  certain  clear  and  indisputable  rights 
in  the  property,  jointl}'  with  the  town;  further,  that  it  undoubtedly  suc- 
ceeded to  the  functions  for  which  the  parish  was  established  originally, 
and  wrhich  the  town  for  several  j'ears  exercised,  but  finally  transferred 
to,  or  allowed  to  be  assumed  by,  the  Congregational  society. 

These  facts  had  not  become  definitely  and  fully  established  by  the 
record  when  your  committee  began  its  work,  but  they  were  assumed  to 
exist  because  they  coincided  with  the  known  practice  of  both  the  town 
and  the  society,  and  hence  it  was  decided,  on  the  whole,  to  be  best  to 
locate  the  new  meeting  house  on  the  Woodbury  lot,  as  retaining  all 
rights  of  the  society,  which  might  be  lost  by  removing  its  place  of  wor- 
ship to  another  locality,  and  on  the  whole,  as  being  as  convenient  a 
location  as  could  be  found. 

To  utilize  this  location  it  seemed  wise  to  move  the  parsonage  down 
the  hill  and  erect  the  meeting  house  substantially  on  the  vacated  site. 
This  job  was  let  to  Mr.  Haviford  Thompson  of  Milford,  who  began  work 
in  August,  and  had  completed  the  same  about  the  first  of  September. 
This  change  has  been  a  great  improvement  to  the  parsonage,  which 
now  has  a  large,  high-posted  cellar,  in  place  of  a  little  hole  in  the  ledge, 
and  by. the  kindness  of  Dr.  Kittredge  has  an  ample  supply  of  excellent 
water,  whereas  before  it  had  next  to  none.  The  change  also  enabled 
other  improvements  to  be  made  in  the  parsonage,  and  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  amount  expended  upon  it  out  of  the  church  building  fund 
would  properly  be  chargeable  to  some  other  account. 

The  total  amount  of  money,  including  that  represented  by  savings 
bank  books  at  their  face  value  received  up  to  date,   has  been  $11,702.01. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  101 

Of  this  amount,  including  interest  reckoned  to  July  1,  1894,  there  is 
$832.73  on  three  books  in  the  Milford  Savings  bank,  on  which  only  10 
per  cent  has  been  paid,  leaving  to  be  collected  in  the  uncertain  future, 
if  ever,  $74t>. 47.  There  have  been  sundry  subscriptions  in  work,  tin- 
exact  amount  of  which  can  only  be  estimated.  The  cost  of  the  church, 
iucluding  the  moving  and  improvements  of  the  parsonage,  the  carpet, 
the  chairs  for  the  vestry,  the  furnaces  and  the  pulpit,  architect's  serv- 
ices and  insurance  is,  in  round  numbers,  $12,000.  The  original  prop- 
osition was  to 'build  the  church,  without  furnishings,  for  $11,000.  1  his 
has  actually  been  bettered,  and  if  our  Milford  Saving  bank  money  had 
been  gcxid  for  its  face,  we  should  have  come  out  without  any  considera- 
ble shortage.  As  it  is,  we  shall  need  a  round  $1000  to  clear  up  our 
obligations,  leaving  the  money  at  Milford  as,  perhaps,  a  "permanent 
investment. " 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  accurately  the  number  of  individual 
contributors,  as  the  money  deposited  in  the  savings  banks  represent 
many  whose  names  are  not  known,  as  well  as  sums  accumulated  by  the 
Home  Circle  and  the  King's  Daughters.  But  of  the  total  amount  re- 
ceived, $8233  in  spot  cash  was  given  by  persons  non-resident  in  the  town, 
and  aside  from  the  amounts,  coming  from  the  savings  banks,  the  indi- 
vidual contributions  of  residents  of  the  town  is  less  than  $1150,  and  of 
this  amount  $825  was  contributed  by  five  persons. 

And  now,  Mr.  President,  in  behalf  of  the  committee,  I  turn  over  to 
you  the  keys  of  this  beautiful  house  of  worship,  so  well  appointed  for 
its  purposes,  and  in  which  every  citizen  of  this  little  town  may,  if  he 
will,  have  an  equal  proprietary  interest,  and  in  which  all  should  feel 
a  common  pride.  Beyond  and  beside  the  sacred  use  to  which  it  is  about 
to  be  dedicated,  it  will  prove  that  "thing  of  beauty"  which  "is  a  joy 
forever,"  and  a  nuiterial  minister  to  the  needs  and  wants  of  a  communi- 
ty which  depends  so  largely  on  the  outside  world  for  its  subsistence. 

The  society  which  you  represent,  as  I  have  shown,  is  an  ancient  or- 
ganization, with  an  honorable  and  self-denying  record.  It  has  main- 
tained the  faith  of  the  fathers  these  many  years  in  the  old  meeting 
house,  it  will  do  no  less  in  this  more  modern  temple  as  the  years  go  by. 

DEACON  CONANT  ACCEPTS. 


The  acceptance  of  the  building  was  by  the  president  of  the  so- 
ciety, Deacon  William  11.  Conant.     The  deacon  spoke  as  follows  : 

"It  becomes  my  pleasant  duty  as  president  of  the  Congregational 
society  to  extend  our  heartfelt  gratitude  to  the  building  committee  for 
its  self-denying  faithfulness  and  devotion  in  the  months  past,  until  they 
present  today  this  completed  and  beautiful  church  edifice,  admirably 
adapted  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  designed.  A  good  Providence 
has  raised  up  and  qualified  these  men  to  call  forth  gifts,  quicken  en- 
thusiasm, inspire  confidence,  harmonize  conflicting  views  and  manage, 
with  wisdom  and  discretion,  this  work  so  as  to  get  the  best  results  for 
the  amount  expended.  And  the}'  have  spared  no  time  or  effort  to  make 
the  enterprise  a  success. 

"We  also  wish  to  express  our  obligation  to  those  kind  and  benevo- 
lent ladies  whose  ancestors  lived  here  for  many  generations,  who 
suggested  the  building  of  a  new  church  instead  of  repairing  the  old  one, 
and  who  contributed  so  large  a  proportion  of  the  amount  necessary  to 
its  accomplishment.      Also  to  the  numerous  friends  and  donors,   many 


102  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

of  whom  are  with  us  today;  to  the  Home  Circle,  the  King's  Daughters 
and  other  organizations  who  have  for  years  worked  patiently  and  saved 
for  this  object;  and  to  all  who  have  by  the  smallest  word  of  encourage- 
ment or  in  the  humblest  way  contributed  to  the  result. 

"I  accept  in  behalf  of  the  society  the  keys  to  the  building  with  a 
sense  of  the  obligation  which  the}'  imply  and  the  labor  and  sacrifice 
which  this  finished  temple  represents.  The  Lord  has  indeed  done  great 
things  for  us,  whereof  we  are  glad.  We  promise  that  it  shall  be  held 
for  the  high  and  sacred  purposes  for  which  it  was  intended  and  to  which 
today  it  is  dedicated.  We  hope  it  will  enable  us  to  hold  the  Christian 
Sabbath  and  Christian  worship  to  us  and  our  children  in  the  coming 
years. 

"And  while  some  have  thought  that  this  church  is  too  good  for  this 
little  town  on  the  hilltop,  we  regard  it  as  none  too  good  for  the  Master 
we  love  and  the  God  we  serve.  It  must  be  our  effort  to  avail  ourselves 
of  our  new  and  increased  facilities  for  worship,  to  enlarge  our  faith, 
our  zeal,  our  Christian  hope,  to  the  full  measure  of  our  enlarged  privi- 
leges and  opportunities,  and  to  make  this  church  a  witness  to  the  truth 
in  the  present  and  in  coming  years.  " 

When  Deacon  Conant  had  finished  and  a  collection  had  been 
taken,  the  choir  and  congregation  sang  a  hymn  written  for  the  occa- 
sion by  H.  Porter  Smith  of  Cambridge,  Mass. 

The  dedicatory  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Nehemiah 
Boynton  of  Detroit,  Mich.,  formerly  pastor  of  the  Union  Congrega- 
tional Church,  Boston.  His  address  was  a  masterly  effort  and  thrilled 
his  congregation  with  its  eloquence.  His  text  was  found  in  Ephesians 
v  :  27,  ''That  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church,  not 
having  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing;  but  that  it  should  be  holy 
and  without  blemish." 

Dr.  Bo'ynton's  address  was  a  strong  dissertation  on  the  church. 
He  began  by  defining  the  chur  h  as  the  "social  state  permeated  by 
the  spirit  of  Jesus  Christ."  He  enlarged  up  in  his  theme  and  painted 
beautifully  the  majestic  life  of  love  and  sanctity  passed  by  the 
Saviour. 

Speaking  of  the  motive  of  the  church,  Dr  Boynton  said  it  was 
the  worship  of  God.  "Go  where  you  may,"  he  argued,  "and  you 
will  find  that  the  instinct  to  worship  will  show  itself  in  some  form, 
even  though  the  manifestation  be  a  feeble  one." 

The  preacher  advocated  beautiful  church  buildings,  arguing  that 
the  beautiful  is  sometimes  more  useful  than  the  useful  itself.  "No 
church  is  too  beautiful  for  God,"  he  said. 

Rev.  William  H.  Hopkins  of  Poughkeepsie  read  a  hymn,  written 
for  the  occasion  by  Deacon  W.  H    Conant. 

The   dedicatory   prayer  was    offered    by    the    Rev.    Warren    R. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  103 

Cochrane,  D.D.,   of  Antrim,  and  the  benediction  was  given  by  the 
pastor,  the  Rev.  T.  J.  Lewis. 

In  the  evening  a  somewhat  inform  il  meeting  was  held  in  the 
church,  at  which  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden  presided.  Addresses  were 
made  by  several  gentlemen,  and  there  was  music.  The  chief  feature, 
however,  was  the  raising  about  a  thousand  dollars  to  provide  for 
that  amount  of  indebtedness,  due  to  the  fact  that  money  subscribed 
was  locked  up  in  several  suspended  New  Hampshire  savings  banks. 
It  is  but  fair  to  say  that  nearly  all  this  amount  was  afterwards  paid 
by  the  banks.  The  proceedings  in  raising  the  money  were  exceed 
ing  merry,  and  the  result  was  that  every  dollar  required  was  pledged 
before  the  meeting  adjourned. 

The  Church  Edifice. 

The  architect  to  whose  skill  and  taste  the  little  church  owes  its 
beauty,  elegance  and  adaptedness  to  its  purpose,  was  Mr.  G.  Wilton 
Lewis,  of  Boston.  It  is  a  model  structure,  and  is  one  of  the  chief 
attractions  of  the  village. 

The  general  design  of  the  new  edifice  is  of  the  picturesque  colo- 
nial, with  details  of  the  renaissance,  and  is  charmingly  adapted  to  its 
situation,  overl  >oking  from  its  lofty  eminence  a  wide  prospect  over 
the  plains  below,  with  the  neighboring  villages  of  Milford,  Amherst, 
and  Merrimack,  and  the  cities  of  Nashua,  Manchester  and  Lowell. 

The  walls,  to  the  height  of  the  window  sills,  are  of  field  stones  ; 
thence  to  the  ridge-pole  is  frame,  clothed  with  shingles.  The  roof  is 
olive-stained,  to  complement  the  rustic,  moss-covered  field  stone, 
separated  by  walls  of  yellow  brown  and  trimmings  of  cream  white. 
Many  of  the  stones  used  in  the  wall  were  brought  by  persons  inter- 
ested in  the  building,  picking  up  here  and  there  in  their  drives  about 
the  country  any  that  were  distinguished  for  their  beauty. 

In  plan  it  forms  a  cross,  with  the  apse  at  the  north,  lighted  by 
five  small  windows,  and  flanked  on  the  east  by  the  organ  loft  and 
choir  gallery,  and  on  the  west  by  the  pastor's  room. 

The  auditory  is  53x3(5  feet  in  area,  and  has  a  seating  capacity 
of  300.  It  is  well  lighted  at  the  east  and  west  by  large  triple  win- 
dows under  the  gables.  Under  the  roof  of  the  cloister  and  in  the 
opposite  wall  these  windows  are  filled  with  bevel  plate  glass,  provid- 
ing a  fresco  of  nature,  far  exceeding  that  of  art,  in  the  wide  and 
distant  expanse  of  mountain  and  valley. 


104  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

The  remainder  of  the  windows  above  are  memorials  in  artistic 
stained  glass,  set  in  lead,  giving  richness  of  effect.  At  the  south 
three  large  flexifold  doors  screen  the  Sunday  school  and  prayer  meet- 
ing room,  which  is  of  a  semi-circular  shape,  with  a  seating  capacity 
of  150  ;  also  a  ladies'  parlor  and  primary  department,  with  50  sittings. 
These  last  rooms  open  into  each  other,  as  well  as  the  auditory,  mak- 
ing a  comfortable  capacity  for  500  sittings,  all  within  good  view  of 
the  pulpit. 

There  is  an  ample  supper  room  for  special  occasions,  provided 
with  kitchen  conveniences  complete. 

A  ladies'  room  is  provided,  with  a  large  brick  fireplace,  securing 
comfort  and  ventilation. 

The  Sunday  school  library  is  in  a  niche  provided  for  that  pur- 
pose, enclos  d  in  diamond  sash  doors. 

The  finish  of  the  building  is  quartered  oak,  finished  light,  mak- 
ing the  interior  of  the  Puritan  order,  while  the  walls  are  tinted  with 
colors  complementing  the  woodwork,  and  ornamented  in  graceful 
designs.     The  building  is  heated  by  a  wood  furnace  of  great  capacity. 

There  is  a  porte  coohere  at  the  tower  entrance  The  tower  is 
large,  surmounted  by  a  belfry  and  lookout. 

The  building  is  practically  a  memorial  church.  The  two  chief 
donors  to  the  building  fund,  Mrs.  Richardson  and  Miss  Stevens, 
made  their  contributions  in  memory  of  their  father,  Calvin  Stevens, 
a  native  of  this  town,  the  son  of  Asa  Stevens,  and  the  grandson  of 
Calvin  Stevens,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  who  fought  at  Bunker  Hill, 
and  who  spent  his  last  years  in  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  lies  buried; 
also  in  memory  of  their  mother,  who  in  earlier  years  was  a  frequent 
visitor  in  the  town.  There  are  fourteen  memorial  windows  in  the 
edilice,  several  of  them  large  and  of  artistic  beauty.  One  of  these  is 
for  Deacon  William  Conant  and  his  wife,  given  by  their  grandchil- 
dren. It  is  a  figure  of  the  Madonna  and  Child.  Mrs.  Charles  F. 
Frasse  of  New  York,  provided  a  beautiful  window  in  memory  of  her 
father,  Asa  Stevens,  a  brother  of  Calvin.  The  figure  is  that  of  St. 
John,  and  it  is  perhaps  the  finest  window  in  the  church.  The  friends 
of  the  late  John  F.  Colby,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  gave  an  elegant  window 
bearing  a  representation  of  Hoffman's  Christ,  standing  with  out- 
stretched arms  and  open  hands.  Mr.  Colby  graduated  at  Appleton 
Academy,  married  Miss  Ruth  E.  Cloutman,  a  native  of  Mont  Vernon, 
had  a  summer  home  in  town  for  many  years,  and  was  one  of  its  most 
ardent  admirers.     He  was  the  father  of  John  H.  Colby  of  the  build- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  10;*) 

ing  committee.  Another  of  the  large  windows  is  in  memory  of  ('apt. 
Timothy  Kittredge  and  his  wife,  the  former  a  native,  and  both  life- 
long residents  of  the  town,  and  very  prominent  in  the  town  and 
church.     The  window  was  given  by  their  children. 

Other  windows  are  in  memory  of  Esther  Cloutman  Gray,  who  for 
many  years  was  organist  of  the  church,  one  in  memory  of  Thomas 
Henry  Stinson,  another  in  memory  of  Deacon  George  E.  Dean,  giv- 
en by  his  daughter,  Miss  Harriet  A.  Dean  of  Dorchester,  (Boston) 
Mass. ;  and  one  for  John  Smith. 

A  handsome  communion  table  is  a  memorial  of  the  late  Major 
Charles  F.  Stinson,  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  AVar  and  a  deacon  of  the 
church  ;  this  table  being  a  gift  of  his  widow. 

The  pulpit  was  the  gift  of  the  pastor,  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Lewis. 

The  old  organ  in  the  old  meeting-house  was  considered  past 
usefulness.  The  resources  of  the  people  were  not  sufficient  to  war- 
rant a  new  up-to-date  pipe  organ.  But  a  very  acceptable  substitute 
was  found  in  a  Mason  &  Risch  Vocalion,  built  in  Worcester,  Mass., 
which  is  described  as  "a  reed  organ  with  pipe  effects."  It  cost 
$855,  and  was  paid  for,  $300  down,  and  balance  in  instalments,  chief- 
ly through  the  efforts  of  the  Home  Circle.  It  is  substantially  the 
equivalent  of  a  pipe  organ  that  would  have  cost  $2500,  and  was  pro- 
nounced, by  prominent  organists  who  have  tried  it,  a  very  satisfactory 
substitute  for  a  pipe  organ.  It  was  set  up  and  in  order  for  the 
dedicatory  services. 

The  deed  of  the  land  by  James  Woodbury  to  the  Second  Parish 
of  Amherst,  for  a  meeting-house  site,  provided  that  if  it  were  not  used 
for  this  purpose,  it  should  revert  to  the  heirs  of  James  Woodbury. 

The  deed  was  drawn  by  James  Woodbury  himself,  in  1787.  He 
was  an  ancestor  of  Judge  Charles  Levi  Woodbury  of  Boston.  He 
was  a  surveyor,  and  was  granted  a  square  mile  of  land  on  top  of  this 
hill  "in  consideration  for  services  rendered  as  surveyor." 


CHAPTER  IX. 


EDUCATIONAL. 

The  Public  Schools — Before  the  Town  Was  Incorporated — 
Names  of  Early  Pupils — Aurean  Academy  at  Amherst — A 
Latin  Grammar  School — Money  Appropriated  to  North- 
west Parish — Appropriations  Since  Incorporation  of  Town 
— The  Literary  Fund—  Decline  in  Population — Increase  of 
Appropriations — Supeh  intending  Committees  —  Appleton 
Academy — Its  Real  Beginning — First  Academy  Hall — Built 
by  Shareholders — Incorporation  of  Academy — Meagre  Rec- 
ords— Organization  of  Trustees — Names  of  Pupils  First 
Term — Mr.  Clough  as  Principal — Mr.  George  Stevens's 
Success — First  Printed  Catalogue — His  Assistants — When 
and  Why  He  Left — The  New  Academy  Building — Purchase 
of  Kittredge  Place  by  Mr.  Stevens — Sale  of  Lot  for  Acad- 
emy Site — Name  of  Academy — Library  Given  by  Mr.  Apple- 
ton —  Building  Fund  Subscriptions — Erection  of  Building — 
A  Permanent  Fund — Sketches  of  King,  Berry,  Bancroft 
and  Other  Principals. 

Mont  Vernon,  prior  to  the  close  of  1803,  was  an  integral  part  of 
Amherst.  Whatever  of  schooling  its  adult  inhabitants  had  received 
they  had  obtained  from  the  scho  )1  privi'eges  provided  by  the  mother 
town,  and  used  by  them  as  a  part  of  its  population. 

By  the  records  we  find  that  in  1762  it  was  voted,  "To  keep  a 
school  in  five  divisions,  the  selectmen  to  divide;"  but  as  no  appropri- 
ation was  made,  this  was  only  a  prophecy  of  what  they  would  do 
years  later.  The  first  appropriation  was  made  in  1771,  when  the 
town  of  Amherst  voted  twenty  p  >unds  lawful  money  for  schooling, 
and  that  "the  school  be  kept  some  part  of  the  time  in  several  parts 
of  the  town."  Also  voted  that  the  people  of  the  town  "keep  as  many 
schools  as  they  see  fit,  and  each  family  that  does  keep  a  school 
shall  be  entitled  to  draw  their  proportion  of  the  money  above  granted." 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  107 

The  next  year  twenty-six  pounds  and  two-thirds  of  a  pound   were 
voted. 

But  little  attention  was  paid  to  other  than  private  instruction 
through  the  Revolutionary  War.  In  177.S  it  was  "Voted  to  keep  a 
grammar  school,"  and  in  that  and  the  year  following  the  names  of  two 
teachers  appear  as  thus  employed.  March  8,  1779,  the  town  was  di- 
vided into  "squadrons"  for  schools,  each  to  draw  its  proportion  of 
the  money  appropriated.  They  made  an  appropriation  this  year,  and 
gradually  increased  it  each  subsequent  year. 

In  1781  it  was  voted  "the  schools  be  kept  by  each  neighborhood 
classing  together."  h\  1787  a  grammar  school  in  the  Centre  District 
of  Amherst  was  provided  for,  conditioned  "that  the  district  shall 
make  up  to  the  master  in  a  private  way  what  their  proportion  of  the 
school  money  falls  short  of  an  adequate  salary." 

This  year  at  same  meeting,  a  committee  of  whom  Rev.  John 
Bruce  was  one,  was  appointed  "to  examine  the  ability  of  schoolmas- 
ters and  mistresses,"  and  none  should  be  employed  in  any  district, 
but  those  recommended  by  them.  From  1787  to  1793  the  annual 
appropriation  for  schools  was  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  In 
1789  the  town  voted  to  "excuse  such  as  had  united  for  the  support  of 
an  academy  from  the  payment  of  any  school  tax,  so  long  as  they 
should  sustain  the  proposed  academy."  The  use  of  the  townhouse  for 
school  purposes  was  also  granted  them. 

Isaac  Brooks  of  Woburn,  Mass.,  afterwards  for  many  years 
Register  of  Deeds  at  Amherst,  N.  H.,  kept  a  private  school  in  the 
North-West  Parish  as  follows  :  — 

"Tuesday  8  December,  1789,  began  a  school  at  the  North  West 
Parish,  by  an  agreement  with  Dr.  Zeph.  Kittredge.  The  names  of 
pupils  are  as  follows  : 

Dorcas  Cleaves;  Jno.  Fuller, 

Betsey  Cleaves,  Wm.  Fuller, 

Sally  Cleaves,  Hannah  Hazelton, 

Nath'l  Cleaves,  Zeph.  Kittredge, 

Polly  Cleaves,  Asa  Kittredge, 

Huldah  Cleaves,  Ingalls  Kittredge, 

Amos  Dodge,  Sally  Kittredge, 

Sam'l  Duncklee,  Peter  Kittredge, 

Sally  Duncklee,  Nabby  Kittredge, 

Polly  Duncklee,  Rob't  Parker, 

Anna  Duncklee,  Hannah  Perkins, 


108  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Jno.  Felton,  Mark  Perkins, 

Elisha  Felton,  Sally  Stearns. 

Rachel  Felton, 

"•Wednesday  March  10th,  1790,  finished  keeping  three  yearly 
months'  school." 

February  10,  1791,  an  act  of  incorporation  was  granted  for  the 
"Anrean  Academy"  at  Amherst.  Twenty-six  of  the  thirty-one  grant- 
ees were  of  Amherst,  and  five  from  other  towns.  Nathan  Cleaves 
was  the  only  grantee  in  the  Second  Parish.  This  school  soon  after 
went  into  operation.  It  had  an  existence  of  ten  years,  and  ten  pre- 
ceptors, among  whom  were  J.  Heywood  and  Daniel  Weston  from  the 
North  West  Parish.  In  1810  this  academy  was  finally  closed  for  lack 
of  funds. 

At  that  time  a  law  was  in  effect  requiring  that  "in  shire  and  half- 
shire  towns,  a  portion  of  the  school  money  shall  be  applied  for  the 
support  of  a  Latin  Grammar  School"  or  a  school  in  which  that  lan- 
guage might  be  taught,  if  desired.  This  will  explain  the  following 
votes  : 

April  13,  1801,  Voted,  "that  the  grammar  school  be  kept  eight 
months  in  the  First  Parish  and  four  months  in  the  Second  Parish, 
this  year." 

March  3,  1803,  seven  hundred  dollars  was  appropriated  for 
schools,  three  hundred  dollars  of  which  was  to  be  used  for  the  sup- 
port of  grammar  schools,  the  Centre  District  of  the  First  Parish  to 
have  two  hundred  dollars,  and  that  of  the  Second  Parish  to  have  one 
hundred  dollars  ;  and  it  was  provided  that  every  person  in  town  have 
liberty  to  send  to  the  grammar  school. 

These  votes  will  explain  the  fact  that  for  several  years  immedi- 
ately preceding  the  incorporation  of  Mont  Vernon,  a  school  of  high 
character  had  been  kept  in  the  Center  District — a  select  school,  open 
to  any  in  the  parish.  David  Dodge  and  Ephraim  P.  Bradford  were 
two  of  its  teachers. 

At  the  first  annual  meeting  of  the  new  town,  March  13,  1804,  it 
was  voted  to  raise  two  hundred  dollars  for  schooling,  and  to  choose 
a  committee  of  twelve  persons  to  class  the  town  for  the  convenience 
of  schooling.  March  27th  this  committee  presented  their  report,  di- 
viding the  town  into  five  school  districts  [classes]  and  defining  their 
respective  limits. 

May  1,  1804,  accepted  the   report  of  committee,   and  voted   to 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  109 

raise  money  to  build  new  school-houses  in  three  of  the  districts  ;  voted 
to  raise  one  thousand  dollars  for  this  purpose. 

March  12,  1805,  appropriated  three  hundred  dollars  for  schooling 
during  the  current  year.  This  sum  was  raised  each  successive  year 
until  1822,  when  it  was  increased  to  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
In  1830,  there  having  been  a  small  source  of  revenue  (about  thirty 
dollars)  derived  from  the  ''literary  fund,"  applied  to  schools,  the 
town  voted  but  three  hundred  dollars  which  was  the  amount  of  ap- 
propriation, until,  in  the  year  1851,  it  was  increased  to  four  hundred 
dollars,  in  1853  advanced  to  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  in 
1854  fixed  at  five  hundred  dollars ;  which  being  augmented  by  the 
"literary  fund"  amounted  to  five  hundred  and  sixty  dollars,  the  av- 
erage amount  devoted  to  schools  between  1854  and  1870.  In  the 
latter  year  two  hundred  dollars  additional  school  money  was  voted, 
and  it  was  continued  annually  for  fifteen  years,  making  an  average  of 
seven  hundred  and  sixty  dollars  expended  upon  the  district  schools  an- 
nually. 

From  1889  until  1893,  the  town  voted  seven  hundred  dollars  an- 
nually for  schools  ;  in  1893,  eight  hundred  dollars  ;  1894,  nine  hundred 
dollars;  1895,  nine  hundred  dollars;  1896,  seven  hundred  dollars; 
1897,  nine  hundred  dollars ;  1898,  one  thousand  dollars;  and  each 
year  thereafter  to  this  writing  (1905)  one  thousand  dollars. 

Additional  to  this,  since  1871,  the  town  has  given  McCollom  In- 
stitute a  total  of  over  $7000,  in  payment  of  tuition  of  town  pupils  in 
this  institution,  in  annual  grants  of  from  $200  to  $300  to  pay  the 
tuition  of  town  scholars  who  attended  it. 

The  "Literary  Fund"  is  fully  explained  in  the  following  extracts 
from  the  compilation  of  the  "Laws  of  New  Hampshire  Relating  to 
Public  Schools,"  by  the  Department  of  Public  Instruction,  from  the 
Public  Statutes,  and  the  Session  Laws,  189-1905  inclusive; 

"All  taxes  collected  by  the  state  upon  the  deposits,  stock  and  at- 
tending accumulations  of  depositors  and  stock-holders  of  savings  banks, 
trust  companies,  loan  and  trust  companies  loan  and  hanking  compa- 
nies, building  and  loan  associations,  and  other  similar  corporations, 
who  do  not  reside  in  this  state,  or  whose  residence  is  unknown,  shall  be 
known  as  the  'literary  fund.7 

"The  state  treasurer  shall  assign  and  distribute,  in  November  of 
each  year,  the  literary  fund  among  the  towns  and  places  in  proportion 
to  the  number  of  scholars  not  less  than  five  years  of  age  who  shall,  by 
the  last  reports  of  the  school  boards  returned  to  the  superintendent  of 
public  instruction,  appear  to  have  attended  the  public  schools  in  such 
towns  and  places  not  less  than  two  weeks  within  that  year. 

"No  unincorporated  place  shall  receive  its  portion  until  a  treasurer 


110  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

or  school  agent  shall  have  been  chosen  to  receive  and  appropriate  the 
same  as  required  by  law. 

"The  portion  of  the  literary  fund  so  received  by  any  town  or  place 
shall  be  assigned  to  the  districts  as  other  school  money,  and  shall  be 
applied  to  the  maintenance  of  the  public  schools  during  tbe  current  year; 
one  fifth  part  thereof  may  be  applied  by  the  school  board  to  the  pur- 
chase of  blackboards,  dictionaries,  maps,  charts,  and  school  apparatus. 

"If  any  town  or  incorporated  place  or  the  agent  of  any  unincorpo- 
rated place  shall  apply  any  money  so  received  to  any  other  purpose, 
the  town,  place,  or  agent  so  offending  shall  refund  to  the  state  treasury 
double  the  sum  so  misapplied." 

With  the  decline  of  population  has  come  a  diminution  of  the  num- 
ber of  pupils  in  our  district  schools.  In  1859,  the  whole  number  was 
one  hundred  and  forty-nine ;  and  in  1860,  was  one  hundred  and  six- 
ty-seven. For  the  years  1884-1885  it  was  less  than  one  hundred  of 
total  attendance,  and  how  (1905)  is  barely  fifty.  The  school  money 
has  increased  about  in  the  ratio  that  the  number  of  those  receiving  its 
benefits  have  been  diminished. 

From  1803  to  1818,  there  is  no  record  of  any  special  superin- 
tendence of  schools  by  an  examining  committee.  For  ten  years, 
inclusive,  from  1818,  a  superintending  committee,  consisting  of  three 
persons,  were  chosen  by  the  voters  at  the  annual  town  meeting.  Be- 
low are  the  names  of  these,  with  the  number  of  years  they  served  : 

Dr.  Daniel  Adams,  ten  years;  Jonathan  S.  Adams,  nine  years  ; 
John  Prentiss,  one  year;  Artemas  Wood,  four  years;  Rev.  Ebenezer 
Cheever,  three  years  ;  Aaron  F.  Sawyer,  three  years.  From  1827  to 
1840-41,  there  is  no  trace  of  a  superintending  committee.  The  Board 
of  Selectmen  made  the  appointment  from  1K41  to  1877,  since  which 
the  voters  have  done  it  at  the  March  meeting  for  the  choice  of  town 
officers.  The  persons  who  held  the  office  from  1841  to  1853  were 
Dr.  Daniel  Adams,  Rev.  Bezaleel  Smith,  Samuel  Campbell,  Dr.  Sam- 
uel G.  Dearborn  and  Rev.  C.  D.  Herbert.  From  1852  until  1887  the 
committee  consisted  of  one  person  only:  1853-56,  R  v.  Charles  D. 
Herbert;  1857-59,  Rev.  Augustus  Berry;  1860-64,  Charles  J.  Smith; 
1865-66,  Charles  A.  Towle  ;  1867,  Joshua  V.  Smith  ;  1868-72,  Charles 
J.Smith;  1873-77,  George  W.  Todd;  1878,  J.  W.  Carson;  1879, 
Charles  J.  Smith;  1880,  William  H.  Ray;  1881-86,  inclusive,  Charles 
J.  Smith. 

A  new  educational  law  took  effect  in  1886  providing  for  a  school 
board  of  three  persons  after  the  first  election,  one  to  be  elected  even7 
year,  each  board  consisting  of  three  persons;  the  first  election  being 
one  for  one  year,  one  for  two  years,  one  for  three  years,  after  which 
every  newly  elected  member  of   the   board   served  for  three  years. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  Ill 

Charles  J.  Smith  served  in  1886,  '88,  '89,  '90;  John  W.  Carson, 
1886,  '87;  William  H.  Kendall,  1886  to  1892,  six  years;  Mrs.  Clark 
Campbell,  nine  years,  lK87-'93,  '95-'98;  Col.  W.  II.  Stinson,  three 
years,  l892-'95  ;  F.  O.  Lamson,  ten  years,  1891-1900;  W.  F.  Pink- 
ham,  one  year,  1893;  Joseph  G.  Carleton,  two  years,  1894-'96;  Mrs. 
Annie  E.  Perham,  1896-1900,  four  years ;  Henry  F.  Dodge,  three 
years,  1898-1901  ;  Marietta  A.  Lamson,  1901-'03;  Mrs.  C.  H.  Trow, 
1902-'04 ;  Mrs.  W.  H.  Kendall,  1903,  '04.  At  this  time  the  incum- 
bents all  resigned,  and  Messrs.  Jay  M.  Gleason,  George  C.  Hadley, 
and  Willard  P.  Woods  were  elected,  and  are  serving  at  this  writing 
(1905). 

The  schools  of  late  years  have  suffered  as  in  all  sparsely  settled 
New  England  towns,  from  the  paucity  of  children,  the  lack  of  money, 
and  the  scattered  school  districts.  So  few  pupils  were  in  attendance 
that  there  was  a  lack  of  the  stimulus  which  in  larger  schools  encour- 
ages competition  in  study,  and  excites  an  interest  which  is  so  healthful 
to  the  minds  and  efforts  of  children  Attempts  have  been  made  at 
several  times  to  induce  the  town  to  abolish  the  district  system,  as 
may  be  done  under  existing  laws,  and  to  assemble  all  the  children  of 
school  age  at  the  Center  district,  where  a  single  properly  graded 
school  might  be  conducted,  with  competent  teachers,  and  by  a  con- 
centration of  money  expended,  longer  terms  might  be  had,  as  well  as 
schools  much  better  in  character  and  efficiency.  The  wages  paid  are 
so  small  that  it  is  impossible  to  secure  traiued  and  experienced  teach- 
ers, and  the  entire  condition  conduces  to  inefficient  and  inadequate 
school  privileges. 

APPLETON  ACADEMY. 

The  chief  factor  and  feature  in  the  educational  history  of  Mont 
Vernon  has  been  its  Academy.  This  institution  was  incorporated  in 
1850,  and  bore  the  name  "Appleton  Academy"  until  1871,  when  it 
was  renamed  The  "McCollom  Institute",  which  name  it  still  bears, 
though  it  has  ceased  to  perform  the  functions  of  an  Academy,  owing 
to  changed  conditions,  and  does  duty,  without  change  of  name,  as 
the  Mont  Vernon  High  school,  having  not,  at  this  writing,  a  single 
pupil  from  beyond  the  limits  of  th    town,  and  only  eleven  all  told. 

The  history  of  this  institution  of  learning  is  most  interesting, 
and  is  a  monument  to  the  aspirations  and  achievements  of  the  men 
who  lived  in  this  town  about  the  middle  of  the  first  century  of  its  e\- 


112  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

istence,  as  well  as  to  their  sacrifices  that  their  children  might  have 
better  educational  advantages. 

The  real  genesis  of  the  Academy  antedates  its  incorporation  some 
three  years,  and  is  to  be  found  in  a  fall  term  of  a  "high  school",  as 
it  was  called,  in  the  vestry  in  the  first  story  of  the  old  Meeting- 
House,  and  taught  by  George  Stevens,  in  the  autumn  of  1847.  Mr. 
Stevens  was  the  son  of  the  widow  Tabitha  Stevens,  who  had  lately 
removed  from  Hancock  to  Mont  Vernon.  He  was  at  the  time  a  jun- 
ior in  Dartmouth  college,  where  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1849. 

This  sort  of  a  school  had  been  of  nearly,  if  not  quite,  annual 
occurrence  since  1835,  usually  being  taught  by  college  undergradu- 
ates, and  naturally  many  of  them  came  from  Dartmouth  Mr  Stev- 
ens was  a  teacher  of  rare  capacity.  He  not  only  knew,  but  he  had 
an  unusual  faculty  for  making  others  know  and  remember  In  this 
special  term  he  so  aroused  the  interest  of  the  people  that  they  were 
more  than  ever  eager  to  establish  a  permanent  school  And  they  at 
once  set  about  getting  ready  for  one 

The  Centre  District  school-house  was  then  a  typical  New  Eng- 
land "little  red  school-house,"  standing  where  its  successor  was  so 
soon  to  be  erected  It  was  too  small  to  accommodate  the  children  in 
the  district. 

In  1848  the  district  voted  to  build  a  new  school  house.  This 
seemed  a  favorable  opportunity  to  secure  some  sort  of  quarters  for 
the  proposed  higher  school,  and  in  November  of  that  year  the  fol- 
lowing subscription  paper  was  started,  to  raise  money  with  which  to 
house  the  Academy  which  it  was  proposed  to  establish,  by  putting  on 
a  second  story  over  the  room  to  be  devoted  to  the  district  school.  The 
response,  as  will  be  seen  below,  was  quick  and  generous. 

November,  1848. 

Whereas  the  Centre  School  District  in  the  town  of  Mont  Vernon  is 
about  to  build  a  school  house,  and  at  a  legal  Meeting  of  said  District, 
they  voted  that  individuals  might  have  the  privilege  of  putting  on  a 
second  story  on  said  schoolhouse  for  a  public  school,  etc.,  by  paying  the 
expense  thereof, 

Therefore,  it  is  thought  best  to  raise  the  sum  necessary  to  carry  in- 
to effect  the  aforesaid  object,  that  it  be  made  into  shares  of  five  dollars 
each,  and  we  severally  agree  to  take  the  number  of  shares  set  to  our 
names,  and  pay  the  same  when  wanted  to  any  person  authorized  by 
said  shareholders  to  receive  the  same,  providing  enough  be  raised  to 
defray  the  whole  expense. 


APPLETON    ACADEMY— McCOLLOM   INSTITUTE. 

First  occupied  in  fall  of  1853. 

(Piazza  and  Porte  Cochere  added  later.) 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


113 


NAMES.  NO.    SHAKKS. 

Asa  Kendall,  1 

S.  N.  Stevens,  1 

William  H.  Conant,  1 

I.  C.  Richardson,  1 

David  Boardman,  2 

David  Dutton,  1 

Nathaniel  Bruce,  2 

D.  W.  Baker,  3 

Wm.   A.  Stinson,  2 

Mrs.  Hanah  Whittemore,  1 

Jesse  Averill,  3 

Z.  Kittredge,  3d,  1 

John  Carleton,  1 

James  Bruce,  2 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Bruce,  1 

Timothy  Kittredge,  2 

Joseph  Harwood,  2 

Luther  Odell,  2 

Milton  McCollom,  2 

Joseph  P.  Trow,  1 

Daniel  Adams,  3 
J.  E.  Bruce, 
Clinton  Roby, 
Bezaleel  Smith, 
Mr.  Joseph  Perkins, 
Dr.  Dearborn, 
Albert  G.  Starrett, 

Rev.  Mr.  Herbert,  2 
Total,  102  shares. 

The  names  comprise  an  undoubted  majority  of  all  the  legal  voters 
in  the  district,  and  also  some  women  who  had  no  male  representatives 
in  their  families.  As  was  to  have  been  expected,  Dea.  Wm.  Conant, 
Mr  F  O.  Kittredge,  Dea  John  Bruce,  Dr.  J  K  Smith,  and  Dea 
J  A  Starrett  were  the  largest  subscribers.  The  amounts  were  not 
large,  but  for  the  immediate  purpose  they  were  sutlicient.  The  num- 
ber of  shares  at  first  subscribed  was  102,  and  the  capital  stock 
amounted  to  So  10.  Later  when  the  Academy  had  been  incorporated, 
and  a  commodious  new  Academy  building  was  called  for,  these  same 
men  and  women  subscribed  what  were,  for  them,  large  sums  for  the 
object  they  had  so  much  at  heart. 

The  school-house  was  a  very  well  constructed  building,  with  a 
district  school-room  and  entry  on  the  first  floor,  and  a  room  for  "high- 
er education,"  reached  by  a  stairway  in  the  corner  opposite  the  dis- 


NAMES.                                NO.   SHAKKS. 

Wm.  Conant, 

6 

Luther  Wisewell, 

2 

Newell  D.   Foster, 

1 

H.  H.  Bragg, 

3 

J.    A.  Starrett, 

5 

Wm.  A.  Starrett, 

1 

John  Elliott, 

1 

John  Bruce, 

5 

J.  K.  Smith, 

5 

Thos.  H.  Richardson, 

3 

Chas.  A.  Gray, 

1 

Thomas  Cloutman, 

3 

Wm.  Bruce, 

1 

Isaac  Foster, 

1 

Asa  Wetherbee, 

1 

F.  O.  Kittredge, 

5 

Hiram  Perkins, 

--> 

Charles  Marble, 

1 

C.  B.   Southworth, 

1 

H.  C.  Dodge, 

1 

Ira  Kendall, 

1 

Zephaniah  Kittredge, 

2 

S.  Bancroft, 

1 

Joseph  Trow,  Jr., 

1 

Porter  Kendall, 

1 

Matthew  G.  Rotch 

2 

Mark  D.  Perkins, 

1 

Wm.  G.  Bruce, 

1 

114  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

t'ict  school  entry,  and  an  ante-room  over  the  same.  To  the  admiring 
youth  and  their  ambitious  parents  it  seemed  a  very  spacious  and 
commodious  educational  home.  Just  when  it  was  opened  for  use 
does  not  appear.  But  at  the  June  session  of  the  Legislature,  1850, 
the  following  act  of  incorporation  was  passed,  it  being  Chapter  105, 
of  the  Laws  of  1850: 

STATE  OF  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty.  An 
act  to  incorporate  the  Appleton  Academy. 

Skction  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representa- 
tives in  General  Court  convened  that  Nathaniel  Bruce,  D.  W.  Baker, 
Wm.  Conant,  S.  G.  Dearborn,  J.  A.  Starrett,  F.  O.  Kittredge,  their 
associates  and  successors,  be  and  hereby  are  incorporated  by  the  name 
of  the  Appleton  Academy,  and  by  that  name  may  sue  and  be  sued,  pros- 
ecute and  defend  to  final  judgment  and  execution,  and  shall  be  and 
hereby  are  vested  with  all  the  powers  and  privileges,  and  subject  to  all 
the  liabilities  which  by  law  are  incident  to  corporations  of  a  similar 
■character. 

Skction  2.  That  said  corporation  is  hereby  authorized  and  empow- 
ered to  acquire  by  purchase  or  otherwise,  suitable  buildings  for  ac- 
ademical purposes,  and  may  hold  real  estate  to  the  amount  of  three 
thousand  dollars,  and  the  same  may  sell,  convey  and  dispose  of,  at 
pleasure,  and  may  receive  by  donation  or  otherwise  personal  estate  to 
the  amount  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  the  interest  of  which  shall  be 
expended  to  defray  the  expenses  of  said  Academy. 

Skction  3.  That  said  Academy  shall  be  located  in  the  town  of  Mont 
Vernon,  in  the  county  of  Hillsborough,  and  Nathaniel  Bruce,  D.  W. 
Baker,  and  William  Conant  or  any  two  of  the  aforesaid  grantees,  may 
call  the  first  meeting  of  said  corporation  by  giving  ten  days'  personal 
notice  or  by  posting  up  three  notices  of  the  time  and  place  of  meeting  in 
the  most  public  places  in  said  town  of  Mont  Vernon,  at  least  fifteen 
days  prior  to  said  meeting,  at  which  meeting,  or  some  subsequent  one, 
they  shall  choose  all  necessary  officers  and  adopt  such  rules  and  regu- 
lations as  may  be  necssarv  or  useful,  not  being  contrary  to  the  laws  of 
the  State. 

Skction  4.  The  legislature  may  alter,  amend  or  repeal  this  act  at 
any  time  when  the  public  good  may  require  it. 

N.  B.  BAKER, 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
RICHARD  JENNESS,  President  of  the  Senate. 

Approved  July  13,  1850. 

SAM'L  DINSMOOR,  Governor. 

The  "Grantees  and  Associates"  were  summoned  to  meet  at 
"Academy  Hall,"  on  Monday,  August  5,  1*50,  at  five  o'clock  p.  m., 
"to  see  if  they  would  accept  the  act  of  incorporation,"  and,  if  they 
did,  "to  choose  all  necessary  officers,  and  adopt  such  rules  and  reg- 
ulations as  may  be  necessary  to  carry  into  effect  the  objects  of  the 
grantees."  The  notice  was  signed  by  Nathaniel  Bruce  and  William 
Conant,  two  of  the  grantees,  authorized  to  call  the  first  meeting. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  115 

It  appears  from  this  that  the  "Academy  Hall"  must  have  been 
finished.  The  grantees  met  and  were  called  to  order  by  Nathaniel 
Bruce  who  was  chosen  moderator,  and  Dr.  S.  G.  Dearborn,  clerk,  pro 
tern.  It  was  voted  to  accept  the  act  of  incorporation,  and  that  share- 
holders might  become  "associate  grantees,"  and  Newell  D.  Foster, 
pea.  John  Bruce,  Thos.  H.  Richardson,  Thomas  Cloutman,  Isaac  C. 
Richardson  and  James  Bruce  were  added  to  the  list  of  grantees. 
Messrs.  N.  Bruce  and  Dr.  Dearborn  were  appointed  to  draft  "rules 
and  regulations  for  the  corporation,"  and  the  meeting  adjourned  to 
meet  "on  Monday  next." 

At  the  adjourned  meeting  by-laws  were  reported  and  adopted, 
and  a  committee  was  chosen  to  invite  the  rest  of  the  share-holders  to 
become  "associates,"  which  seem  to  have  been  the  same  as  "grantees." 

August  17,  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  corporation  was  held, 
and  S.  G.  Dearborn  was  elected  clerk,  and  Matthew  G.  Rotch,  treas- 
urer. William  Conant,  Nathaniel  Bruce,  Samuel  G.  Dearborn, 
Franklin  0.  Kittredge,  Joseph  A.  Starrett,  James  Bruce,  and  Hiram 
Perkins  were  elected  as  the  first  Board  of  Trustees.  A  large  number 
of  shareholders  were  voted  in  as  associates  or  grantees. 

August  23,  a  set  of  By-Laws  of  Appleton  Academy  were  adopted, 
and  as  they  show  the  animus  of  the  founders  of  the  institution  the 
salient  points  are  given  herewith. 

The  annual  meeting  was  fixed  for  the  first  Monday  in  August. 
The  officers  of  the  corporation  were  a  Clerk,  a  Treasurer  and  seven 
Trustees,  to  be  elected  by  major  vote  of  the  shareholders,  each  share 
being  entitled  to  one  vote.     Section  3  was  as  follows  : 

"All  persons  who  have  paid  five  dollars  or  more  towards  the 
building  which  is  contemplated  for  a  public  school,  shall  be  Associates 
unless  they  shall  object  thereto;  and  any  person  who  has  not  already 
paid  anything  toward  the  aforesaid  building  may  become  associated 
with  us,  on  recommendation  of  the  Trustees,  and  the  payment  of  live 
dollars  to  the  Treasurer  of  said  corporation,  taking  his  receipt  there- 
for." 

The  Board  were  to  choose  one  of  their  own  number  as  President, 
who  was  to  appoint  "a  visiting  committee,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
visit  the  school  from  time  to  time,  and  make  such  examination  as 
may  be  necessary  to  see  that  the  school  is  conducted  in  the  besl  pos- 
sible manner;  and  if  anything  is  ascertained  by  them  which  they 
think  is  wrong,  or  anything  is  suggested  to  their  minds  which  would 
be  beneficial  to  said  school,  they  shall  report  the  same  to  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  who  shall  forthwith  take  such  action  as  is  necessary  in  the 


116  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

premises.  The  trustees  shall  also  transact  any  business  to  the  sus- 
taining of  the  aforesaid  Academy. 

''They  may  agree  with  some  suitable  person  to  open  a  school  so 
many  terms  as  may  be  thought  best,  during  the  year,  providing  he 
will  take  the  use  of  the  room  and  open  the  school  upon  his  own  re- 
sponsibility. But  in  no  case  shall  they  have  power  to  hir  teachers 
without  being  directed  by  a  special  vote  of  said  corporation." 

After  providing  for  filling  vacancies,  etc.,  the  following  article, 
showing  the  expectations  for  future  prosperity  was  adopted  : 

"Art.  9.  All  moneys  received  by  donation  or  otherwise,  after 
paying  for  the  Academy  building  and  fixtures,  shall  be  appropriated 
for  the  purchase  of  such  apparatus  as  is  most  needed,  until  said  Acad- 
emy is  well  supplied,  and  the  residue  to  be  retained  as  a  fund  of  said 
corporation  to  be  placed  at  interest  with  good  security. 

"Art.  10.  As  this  corporation  was  not  intended  for  a  money- 
making  business,  but  simply  for  educational  purposes,  therefore  no 
officer  in  this  corporation  shall  receive  any  compensation  for  his  ser- 
vices, except  the  honor  which  he  may  win  fulfilling  them  satisfacto- 
rily to  himself  and  others." 

The  Board  then  organized  by  the  choice  of  Nathaniel  Bruce  as 
President,  and  Rev.  Charles  D.  Herbert,  Dr.  S.  G.  Dearborn,  Samuel 
Campbell,  Capt.  Timothy  Kittredge,  George  E.  Dean,  George  W. 
Stinson,  John  Averill,  Ira  Kendall,  Jesse  Robinson,  T.  H.  Richard- 
son, Rev.  Bezaleel  Smith,  Dea.  John  Bruce.  J.  II.  Goodale,  esq., 
Rev.  J.  G.  Davis  and  Edward  D.  Boylston  of  Amherst,  Rev.  E.  B. 
Claggett  of  Lyndeboro,  Dr.  Kittredge  of  Nashua,  Dr.  Daniel  Adams 
of  Keene,  Oliver  Bixby  and  Rev.  E.  N.  Hidden  of  Milford,  as  a  vis- 
iting commitee.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Herbert  had  just  been  called  to  suc- 
ceed the  Rev.  Bezaleel  Smith  as  pastor,  and  the  latter  had  not  left 
town,  which  accounts  for  both  being  on  the  list. 

Strangely  enough  the  record  book  of  the  Trustees  of  Appleton 
Academy  does  not  contain  any  account  of  the  first  term  of  school 
which  was  conducted  after  the  passage  of,  if  not  under,  the  act  of  in- 
corporation. It  was  held  in  the  new  Academy  Hall,  however,  in  the 
autumn  of  1850.  Lucien  B.  Clough  was  its  first  principal,  assisted 
by  John  Ordronaux,  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth,  and  since  a  distin- 
guished professor  of  Medical  Jurisprudence  in  Columbia  College  for 
many  years.  The  first  was  afterward  a  most  respectable  lawyer  in 
Manchester,  and  the  last  has  long  enjoyed  wide  celebrity  for  his  ability 
as  a  public  teacher  of  law  and  medicine  in  the  city  of  New  York. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  117 

The  announcement  of  the  opening  of  the  school  appeared  in  the 
Fawners'  Cabinet  of  Aug.  15,  l.s.')0,  and  was  as  follows: 

APPLETON  ACADEMY 

AT 

MONT  VERNON,  N.  II. 

The  Trustees  of  Appleton  Academy  take  pleasure  in  announcing  to 
the  friends  of  education,  that  they  have  recently  completed  their  build- 
ing", and  are  now  prepared  to  open  it  to  the  public. 

They  feel  assured  that  the  pleasant  location  of  this  Institution,  and 
the  universal  interest  of  the  people  of  out  Vernon  will  insure  success. 
And  the}r  also  flatter  themselves  that  they  have  secured  such  Teachers 
as  will  entitle  them  to  a  patronage  and  give  satisfaction  to  those  who 
may  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  offered  them. 

The  First  Session  will  commence  Aug.  21,  and  continue  12  weeks, 
under  the  instruction  of  L.  B.  Clough,  A.B.,  aided  by  competent  assis- 
tants. Tuition:  Common  English  Branches,  S3 .50.  Latin  and  Higher 
Branches,  54.00. 

Board  can  be  had  in  good  families,  including  rooms  and  lights,  for 
$1.50  per  week.  Rooms  can  be  obtained  by  students  wishing  to  board 
themselves. 

Per  order  of  the  Trustees. 
For  more  particular  information  address 

Nathanii.l  Bruce,   Esq., 
Dka.  Wm.  Conant, 
D.  W.  Baker,   Esq., 
Thomas  Cloutman,  Esq., 
f.  o.  kittredge,  esq. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  pupils  during  the  term.  There  was 
no  printed  catalogue,  but  the  list  was  preserved  by  Principal  Clough 
and  furnished  by  him,  in  response  to  a  request  made  by  the  Rev.  C. 
C.  Carpenter,  under  date  of  August  16,  1884  : 

Averill,  Almira  J.  Clough,  M.  C. 

Averill,  Carrie  Clough,  Abbie  C. 

Baldwin,  Sabrina  F.  Clough,  F.  V.  B. 

Baldwin,  Susan  A.  Conant,  Walter  S. 

Baldwin,  Maria  S.  Dunbar,  Annette  E. 

Bancroft,  Wm.  H.  C.  Dunklee,  G.  W. 

Batchelder,  Charles  Foster,  Samuel  K. 

Batchelder,  John  A.  French,  Almira 

Batchelder,  Nancy  R.  French,  Clinton 

Brown,  ?  Hartshorn,  John  A. 

Bruce,  Clarinda  F.  Hutchinson,  ? 

Bruce,  George  A.  Jones,  Jane  M.  W. 

Bruce,  James  P.  Kendall,  Emeline 

Campbell,  Wm.  H.  Kendall,  Cyrene  E. 

Campbell,  Elizabeth  M.  Kittredge,  Charles 

Cloutman,  Sarah  Emeline  Kittredge,  Harriet  E. 


118  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Kittredge,  Nancy  M.  Smith,  Elizabeth  J. 

Lang-dell,  Frances  Smith,  H.  Porter 

Perkins,  Ann  M,  Starrett,  Henrietta  M. 

Putnam,  Helen  M.  Stewart,  Edmund  P. 

Robinson.  Mary  E.  Stinson,  Sarah  Ann 

Roby,  Kilburn  Towne,   Emily 

Rotch,  Albert  M.  Wheeler,  E.  M. 

Rotch.  Maria  Adelaide  Wilkins,  Nancy  H. 
Smith,  Augusta 

The  total  number  of  names  above  given  is  49,  which  was  a  very 
good  number  to  begin  with,  before  the  school  had  fairly  been  organ- 
ized. With  half  a  dozen  exceptions  the  pupils  were  residents  in 
Mont  Vernon.     Mr.  Clough  taught  but  a  single  term. 

Nothing  was  done  towards  permanently  starting  the  school  until 
January  26,  1851,  when  at  a  special  meeting  it  was  voted  to  make  im- 
mediate arrangement  for  a  Spring  session  of  school,  and  Dea.  Wm. 
Conant  was  authorized  to  procure  a  teacher. 

A  week  later  the  Deacon  reported  that  it  was  thought  that  the 
encouragement  was  not  sufficient  for  a  Spring  term  of  school,  and  it 
was  voted  to  arrange  for  a  Fall  session. 

On  the  3d  of  May,  1851,  at  a  special  meeting  it  was  voted  that 
individual  members  of  the  Board  should  "gather  the  necessary  infor- 
mation relative  to  the  school;"  and  on  the  17th  of  May,  Deacons 
Starrett  and  Conant  were  made  a  committee  "to  confer  with  George 
Stevens  in  regard  to  engaging  his  services  as  an  instructor,"  and 
Nathaniel  Bruce  and  F.  O  Kittredge,  were  requested  to  draw  up  a 
paper  certifying  Mr.  Stevens'  terms,  and  to  present  the  same  to  citi- 
zens soliciting  their  names  to  become  responsible  for  the  specified 
sum. 

June  10,  at  another  special  meeting,  Hiram  Perkins  and  Deacon 
Conant  were  a  committee  to  secure  board  and  rooms  for  students, 
and  Esquire  N.  Bruce,  S.  G.  Dearborn  and  F.  O.  Kittredge  were  ap- 
pointed to  prepare  a  notice  or  announcement  of  the  commencement  of 
the  school;  and  at  an  adjourned  meeting  June  23d,  the  notice  was 
reported  and  adopted.  The  committee  on  board  and  rooms  reported 
that  they  "had  made  ample  provision." 

August  8,  1851,  the  stockholders  of  the  corporation  elected  N. 
Bruce,  moderator;  S.  G.  Dearborn,  clerk;  Wm.  A.  Stinson,  treasur- 
er; and  N.  Bruce,  J.  A.  Starrett,  Wm.  Conant,  John  Bruce,  James 
Bruce,  Thomas  Cloutman,  and  F.  O.  Kittredge,  trustees  for  the  en- 
suing year. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


119 


There  is  no  further  record  of  anything  more  done  by  the  Board 
of  Trustees  this  year,  except  to  appoint,  at  a  special  meeting  held 
Sept.  12,  1851,  a  large  committee  "to  visit  and  report  the  appearance 
of  the  school  at  its  close."  No  record  appears  of  the  agreement  made 
with  Mr.  Stevens,  or  of  the  fact  that  he  was  engaged  to  teach  the 
school  at  all.  But  there  is  extant  a  copy  of  the  first  catalogue  that 
was  printed,  and  its  title  page  shows  that  it  was  "A  Catalogue  of  the 
Trustees,  Instructors  and  Students  of  Appleton  Academy  at  Mont 
Vernon,  N.  H.,  for  the  Academical  year  ending  August,  1852." 
"Concord  :  Steam  Power  Press  of  McFarlaud  &  Jenks."  The  year 
began  in  August,  1851. 

The  second  page  contains  the  names  of  the  Trustees,  Nathaniel 
Bruce,  Esq.,  Chairman,  Dea.  Win.  Conant,  F.  0.  Kittredge,  Dea.  J. 
A.  Starrett,  Jno.  Bruce,  Esq.,  Thomas  Cloutman,  James  Bruce,  S. 
G.  Dearborn,  M.  D.,  Secretary.  "Board  of  Teachers  :  Mr.  Geo.  Stev- 
ens, A.  B.,  Principal;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  R.  Stevens,  Preceptress,  and 
Teacher  in  French,  Drawing  and  Painting;  Mr.  James  M.  Emerson, 
Assistant  Pupil,  and  Mr.  Josiah  M.  Blood,  Teacher  of  Penmanship." 

It  is  perhaps  a  matter  of  sufficient  interest  to  reproduce  the 
names  of  these  charter  members,  so  to  speak,  of  the  Academy,  and 
to  give  also  the  other  pages  of  this  first  catalogue,  as  showing  how 
the  school  started  out. 

STUDENTS— FALL  TERM,   1851. 

GENTLEMEN. 


NAME. 

Batchelder,  John  A. 
Blood,  Josiah  M. 
Brown,  Joshua 
Brown,  Leonard  J. 
Bruce,  George  A. 
Buzell,  George  B. 
Campbell,  WilliamH. 
Cleaves,  William  L. 
Conant,  Albert 
Conant,  Charles  E. 
Conant,  Harlan  P. 
Dudley,  Lorenzo  E. 
Emerson,  James  M. 
Goffe,  Nathan 
Hanson,  Caleb  W. 
Hartshorn,  John  L. 
Hutchinson,  Elias  S. 


RESIDENCE. 

Mont  Vernon 

Hollis 

Mont  Vernon 

Amherst 

Mont  Vernon 

Northwood 

Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon 

Mt.  Holly,  Vt 

Barnstead 

Bedford 

Barnstead 

Amherst 

Milford 


NAME. 

Hutchinson,  Jesse  L, 
Kittredge,  Charles  M 
Marden,  George  A. 
Norton,  John 
Paige,  Benjamin  F. 
Parker,  Charles  I. 
Rotch,  Albert  A. 
Smith,  Daniel  H. 
Smith,  David  A. 
Stearns,  Charles  H. 
Stuart,  Edmund 
Thorndike,  Thomas 
Trow,  Henry  H. 
Upham,  Phineas  E. 
Vent,  Charles  F. 
Wheeler,  John  E. 


RESIDENCE. 

Milford 

.   Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon 

Hudson.  N.  Y 

Pittstield 

Bedford 

Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon 

Antrim 

Lowell,  Mass 

Amherst 

H.      Pittstield 

Mont  Vernon 

Amherst 

Pittstield 

Amherst 


120 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


LADIES. 


NAME.  RESIDENCE. 

Adams,  Lucy  M.  K.  Littleton,  Mass 
Averill,  Caroline  S.  Mont  Vernon 
Averill,  Sarah  F.  Mont  Vernon 

Baldwin,  Maria  S.  Mont  Vernon 
Baldwin,  Mary  Mont  Vernon 

Baldwin,  Susan  A.  Mont  Vernon 
Batchelder,  Mary  J.  Mont  Vernon 
Batchelder,  Nancy  R.  Mont  Vernon 
Beard,  Sarah  W.  Mont  Vernon 

Brown,  Rebecca  D.  Mont  Vernon 
Campbell,  Elizabeth  M. 

Mont  Vernon 
Cressy,  Martha  F.  Beverly,  Mass 
Hartshorn,  Elizabeth  S.  Amherst 
Hutchinson,  Georgiana  Milford 
Kendall,  Elizabeth  C.  Mont  Vernon 
Kittredge,  Harriet  E.  Mont  Vernon 
Parker.  Philinda  P.    Piscataquog 


NAME.  RESIDENCE. 

Perkins,  Ann  A.  Mont  Vernon 

Perkins,  Emily  L.  Mont  Vernon 
Perkins,  Mary  F.  Mont  Vernon 

Phelps,  Sophia  E.  Amherst 

Rand,  Nancy  E.  Lyndeborough 

Robinson,  Harriet  A.  Mont  Vernon 
RobinsOn,  Mary  E.  Mont  Vernon 
Rotch,  Maria  A.  Mont  Vernon 

Sawyer,  Miranda  L.   Mt.  Holly,  Vt 


Smith,  Augusta  S 
Smith,  Elizabeth  J. 
Smith,  Maria  S. 
Smith,  Theresa  M. 
Stevens,  Caroline  A 
Starrett,  Henrietta  M. 

Underwood,  Ellen  J. 
Weston,  Mary  J. 


Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Peering' 
Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon 

Amherst 

Mont  Vernon 


WINTER  TERM,  1851-2. 


GENTLEMEN. 


NAME. 

Blood,  Jos i ah  M. 
Brown,  Joshua 
Bruce,  George  A. 
Campbell,  William  H 
Coburn,  George  E. 
Conant,  Walter  H. 
Dunbar,  Stephen  H. 
Emerson,  James  M. 
Hanson,  Caleb  W. 
Hanson,  John 


RESIDENCE.  NAME.  RESIDENCE. 

Hollis  Hutchinson,  Andrew  B. 

Mont  Vernon  Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon  Hutchinson,  Elias  S.  Milford 

Mont  Vernon  Hutchinson,  Hay  ward  Milford 

Mont  Vernon  Marden,  George  A.       Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon  Morrill,  Ashley  C.  Canterbury 

New  Boston  Paige,  Benjamin  F.  Pittsfield 

Barnstead  Parker,  Francis  W.      Piscataquog 

Barnstead  Rotch,  Albert  A.  Mont  Vernon 

Barnstead  Thorndike,  Thomas  H.      Pittsfield 

Upham,  Phinehas  C.  Amherst 


NAME.  RESIDENCE. 

Baldwin,  Almira  J.  Mont  Vernon 
Baldwin,  Maria  S.  Mont  Vernon 
Baldwin,  Susan  A.  Mont  Vernon 
Brown,  Rebecca  D.  Mont  Vernon 
Campbell,  Elizabeth  M. 

Mont  Vernon 
Clbutman,  Sarah  E.  Mont  Vernon 
Hartshorn,  Elizabeth  S.  Amherst 
Hutchinson,  Georgianna,  Milford 
Jones,  Jane  M.  W.  Amherst 


NAME. 

Marden,  Sarah  L. 
Parker,  Philinda  P. 
Perkins,  Ann  A. 
Perkins,  Emily  L. 
Perkins,  Mary  F. 
Rotch,  Maria  A. 
Smith,  Maria  S. 
Stevens,  Caroline  A. 
Sawyer,  Miranda  L. 


RESIDENCE. 

Mont  Vernon 
Piscataquog 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mt.  Holly,  Vt 


SPRING  TERM,   1852. 

GENTLEMEN. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


121 


NAMK.  RESIDENC  I  . 

Adams,  Leonard  B.  Littleton,  Mass 
Adams,  John  \V.  Littleton,  Mass 
Blood,  Josiah  M.  Hollis 

Bruce,  George  A.  Mont  Vernon 

Buzell,  George  B.  Northwood 

Campbell,  William  H.  Mont  Vernon 
Conant,  Walter  H.  MontVernon 
Emerson,  James  M.  Barnstead 

Fletcher,  Edward  Littleton,  Mass 
Hanson,  Caleb  W.  Barnstead 

Hanson,  John  Barnstead 

HutchLns,  Charles  L.  Concord 

Hutchinson,  Andrew  B. 

Mont  Vernon 
Hutchinson,  Hayward  Milford 

Hutchinson,  Justin  E.  Milford 

Hutchinson,  Jesse  L.  Milford 


NAMK 

Kittredge,  Charles  F 
Kittredge,  Charles  M. 

Manlon,  ( ',c<  irge  A. 
Moore,  ( '<  ilman  D. 
Morrill,  Ashley  C. 
Parker,  Charles  J. 
Parker,  Francis  W. 
Perkins,  John  T. 
Roby,  Kilburn  H. 
Smith,  H.  Porter 
Starrett,  William  S 


RESIDENCE. 

.  Mi  'in  Vern<  tn 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
lied  lord 
Fishen  ilk- 
Bed  ford 
Piscataquog 
M<  uit  Vernon 
Mont  Verm  m 
New  Al stead 
A. 

Mont  Vernon 
Thorndike,  Thomas  H.  Pittsfield 
Trow,  Arthur  A.  Mont  Vernon 

Upham,  Phinehas  C.  Amherst 

Vent,  Charles  F.  Pittsfield 

Wheeler,  John  E.  Amherst 


LADIES. 


NAME.  RESIDENCE. 

Adams,  Lucy  M.  K.  Littleton,  Mass 
Baldwin,  Susan  A.  Mont  Vernon 
Beard,  Sarah  W.  MontVernon 

Bragg,  Cordelia  M.  J.  * 

Mont  Vernon 
Bruce,  Frances  C.  Mont  Vernon 
Bruce,  L.  Augusta  Mont  Vernon 
Butterfield,  Ann  W.  New  Boston 
Campbell,  Elizabeth  M. 

Mont  Vernon 
Cloutman,  Ellen  R.  "■■"  MontVernon 
Cloutinan,  Sarah  E.  Mont  Vernon 
Davis,  Harriet  W.  Brownsville,  Me 
Hutchinson,  Georgianna,  Milford 
Hutchinson,  Laura  A.  Milford 

Hutchinson,  Mar}'  Josephine 

Milford 
Jones,  Jane  M.  W.  Amherst 

Kimball,  Sarah  E.  Littleton,  Mass 
Kittredge,  Harriet  E.   Mont  Vernon 

*  Students  in  Drawing. 


NAME.  RESIDENCE. 

Kittredge,  Lauretta  E.  * 

Mont  Vernon 
Manning,  Mary  E. 

Littleton,  Mass 
Moore,  Hannah  St.  Stephens,  N.  B 
Morrill,  Mary  A.  Fisherville 

Otis,  Elizabeth  E.  New  Boston 

Parker,   Emily  J.  Piscataquog 

Parker,  Philinda  P.     Piscataquog 
Perkins,  Ann  A. 
Perkins,  Mary  F. 
Rotch,  Maria  A. 
Starrett,  Henrietta  M. 

Mont  Vernon 
Stevens,  Caroline  A. 
Stinson,  Mary  A. 
Stinson,  Sarah  A. 
Underwood,  Ellen  J 
Wallace,  Marion 


Wilson,  Georgianna  E. 


Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 


Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon 

Mont  Vernon 

Amherst 

Manchester 


Mont  Vernon 


SUMMER  TERM,   1852. 


GENTLEMEN. 


NAME. 

Adams,  John  W.       L 
Bruce,  George  A. 
Conant,  Harlan  P. 
Emerson,  James  M. 
Hartshorn,  John  L. 
Kittredge,  Charles  F. 
Morrill,  Ashley  C. 
Perkins,  James  W. 


RESIDENCE.  NAME.  RESIDENCE. 

ittleton,  Mass  Ramsdell,  George  A.  Milford 

MontVernon  Ramsdell,  George  T.  Milford 

MontVernon  Rotch,  Albert  A.  MontVernon 

Barnstead  Smith,  H.  Porter  New  Alstead 

Amherst  Thorndike,  Thomas  H.      Pittsfield 

Mont  Vernon  Tuten,  Edward  T.        Mont  Vernon 

Fisherville  Vent,  Charles  F.  Pittsfield 

Mont  Vernon 


122 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


NAME.  RESIDENCE. 

Bragg-,  Cordelia  M.  J.  * 

Mont  Vernon 
Cleaves,  Augusta,  L.  Mont  Vernon 


NAME.  RESIDENCE. 

Kittredge,  Ellen  J.       Mont  Vernon 
Kittredge,  Lauretta  E. 

Mont  Vernon 


Cloutman,  Ellen  R. 
Cloutman,  Mary  E. 
Conant,  Martha  E. 
Elliott,  Sarah  E. 
Harwood,  Mary  J. 


Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Amherst 
Mont  Vernon 


Perkins,  Mary  F, 
Rotch,  Maria  A. 
Stinson,  Mary  A. 
Upton,  Jane  * 


Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 
Mont  Vernon 


Students  in  Drawing. 


Fall  Term. 
Winter  Term, 
Spring  Term, 
Summer  Term, 


SUMMARY. 


66 

38 
66 

28 

198 


Total, 

TEXT  BOOKS. 

ENGLISH. 

American  School  Reader;  Smith's  Quarto  Geography;  Weld's  New 
Grammar;  Parker's  Aids  to  English  Composition;  Weld's  Parsing 
Book;  Paradise  Lost;  Goodrich's  Pictoral  History;  Worcester's  Ele- 
ments of  Universal  History;  Comstock's  Natural  Philosophy;  Corn- 
stock's  Chemistry,  Revised;  Wood's  Botany;  Hitchcock's  Geology; 
Abercrombie's  Intellectual  Philosophy;  Wayland's  Moral  Science;  Cut- 
ter's Physiology;  Colburn's  Decimal  Arithmetic;  Adams'  Arithmetic, 
Revised;  Robinson's  Algebra;  Robinson's  Astronomy;  Davies'  Survey- 
ing; Davies'  Legendre's  Geometry;  Preston's  Book-keeping;  Wilson's 
Punctuation;  Greene's  Analysis. 

LATIN. 

Weld's  Latin  Lessons  and  Reader;  Andrews  and  Stoddard's  Latin 
Grammar;  Caesar's  Commentaries;  Cicero's  Select  Orations;  Sallust; 
Virgil;  Cicero  de  Senectute;  Horace;  Livy;  Ovid;  Arnold's  Latin  Prose 
Composition;  Andrews'  or  Leverett's  Latin  Lexicon;  Butler's  Atlas 
Classica;  Ramshorn's  Latin  Synonyms;  Anthon's  Classical  Diction- 
ary; Smith's  Greek  and  Roman  Antiquities. 

GREEK. 

Crosby's  Greek  Lessons;  Crosby's  Grammar;  Crosby's  Xenohpon's 
Anabasis;  Greek  Testament;  Homer's  Iliad;  Liddell  and  Scott's  or 
Pickering's  Greek  Lexicon;  Sophocles  Greek  Verbs;  Arnold's  Greek 
Prose  Composition. 

FRENCH. 

Bugard's  French  Translator;  Telemaque;  Charles  XII;  Racine; 
Madame  DeStael's  L'Allemagne;  Surrenne's  Dictionary;  Ollendorff's 
Exercises. 

GENERAL  REMARKS. 
This  Institution  has  now  been  in  operation  one  year.      The   success 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  123 

which  has  attended  it  encourages  the  Trustees  in  the  prosecution  of  their 
original  plan,  to  make  it  a  permanent  school.  The  uncommon  fitness 
of  the  locality  requires  no  comment  to  recommend  it  to  all  who  have  vis- 
ited the  place.  Fanned  by  the  purest  of  New  England's  breezes,  it  also 
enjoys  the  healthiest  moral  tone.  Transgression  is  difficult  where  there 
are  no  possible  means  by  which  to  transgress. 

All  scholars  are  required  to  attend  church  upon  the  Sabbath,  also 
a  Biblical  exercise. 

Especial  attention  will  be  given  to  such  as  may  wish  to  fit  for  Col- 
lege. It  is  intended  to  make  the  instruction  in  the  Classical  Depart- 
ment of  the  most  thorough  character,  and  to  present  advantages  sur- 
passed by  none,  to  those  who  may  enter  epon  such  a  course  of  study. 
While  no  branches  shall  suffer  neglect,  Classical  and  Aathematical 
studies  shall  receive  their  place  as  the  foundation  of  a  thorough  educa- 
tion. 

A  Teachers1  Class  will  be  formed  in  the  Fall  and  Spring  Terms, 
if  desired. 

APPARATUS. 

A  new  Philosophical  Apparatus  will  be  procured  before  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Fall  Term.  The  school-room  is  already  adorned  with 
Geographical  Maps,  and  both  Lambert's  and  Cutter's  Physiological 
Charts. 

LECTURES,   ETC. 

The  Teachers  will,  in  the  course  of  each  Term,  give  lectures  upon 
Philosophy,  Chemistry,  Physiology,  Geography,  Teaching  and  Morals. 
Physiology  will  be  made  a  general  exercise.  There  is  also  a  general 
exercise  daily  in  Mental  Arithmetic. 

WEEKLY  EXERCISES. 

There  will  be  weekly  exercises  in  Declamation,  Composition,  Spell- 
ing, Anal3-sis  of  words,  and  Punctuation.  The  prominence  which  will 
be  given  to  any  one  of  these  branches  will  depend  upon  the  deficiencies 
of  scholars. 

FRENCH,   DRAWING  AND  PAINTING. 

To  those  who  may  wish  to  pursue  these  branches,  unusual  facilities 
are  afforded  here.  Skillful  instruction  will  be  given  in  Pencil  Draw- 
ing, Black  ami  Colored  Crayoning,  Painting  in  water  colors  and  oils. 

EXAMINATIONS. 

Public  examinations  are  had  at  the  close  of  each  Term,  under  the 
charge  of  a  committee  selected  by  the  Trustees. 

CALENDAR. 

There  are  Four  Terms  annually  of  Eleven  Weeks  each,  commencing 
for  the  ensuing  year  as  follows: 

Fall  Term Aug.  30 

Winter  Term,      ....  Nov.    29 

Spring  Term Feb.    28 

Summer  Term,   ....  May   29 


124  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


EXPENSES. 

Common  English  Branches,  per  term,  $3.50 

Higher  English  and  Languages,  4.00 

Drawing  (extra),  2.00 

Painting  in  Water  Colors,  2  00 

Painting  in  Oils,  10.00 

Music,  8.00 

Writing,  1.00 

Bills  are  made  out  for  one  half  of  a  term,  or  for  the  whole,  only. 

Board  in  good  families  at  reasonable  rates.  Conveniences  are  good 
for  those  who  may  wish  to  board  themselves. 

TEACHERS  FOR  THE   ENSUING  YEAR. 

Mr.  George  Stevens,  A.  B. ,  Principal. 

Mr.  John  Colby,  A.  B. ,  Assistant. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  R.  Stevens,  Preceptress,  and  Teacher  in  French, 
Drawing  and   Painting. 

Miss  Caroline  M.  Burnham,  Teacher  in  Music. 

Catalogues  will  be  sent,  or  any  information  in  respect  to  the  school 
given  on  application  to  the  Principal  or  either  of  the  Trusees. 

Mrs.  Stevens  came  to  Mont  Vernon  a  bride.  She  was  a  native 
of  Littleton,  Mass.,  and  a  most  worthy  helpmeet  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  instruction  with  her  husband.  Mr.  Emerson  came  over  from 
Pittsfield,  N.  IL,  where  Mr.  Stevens  had  been  teaching  the  Pittsfield 
Academy  since  his  graduation  from  Dartmouth  in  the  class  of  1849. 
The  residences  of  the  pupils  show  that  many  of  his  students  followed 
him  to  Mont  Vernon.  Mrs.  Stevens,  then  Miss  Kimball,  was  his  as- 
sistant at  Pittsfield. 

The  second  catalogue  contains  the  added  names  of  Miss  Abby 
W.  Jaquith  as  Preceptress,  with  Mrs.  Stevens  as  teacher  of  drawing 
and  painting,  Mr.  W.  S.  B.  Mathews  as  instructor  on  the  piano  forte, 
and  George  Bowers  as  teacher  of  penmanship  and  book-keeping. 
Inadvertantly  the  name  of  Mi-.  John  Colby,  A.  B.,  was  omitted  from 
the  list  as  Assistant  Principal.  He  had  just  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
(class  1852),  and  had  intended  to  go  directly  to  Andover  Theological 
Seminary,  but  in  order  to  earn  some  money  he  engaged  to  teach  for 
Mr.  Stevens  during  the  fall  term  of  1<S52.  Mr.  Colby  again  assisted 
Mr.  Stevens  during  the  fall  term  of  1853.  In  a  letter  written  from 
Fitzwilliam,  N.  IL,  under  date  of  January  18,  1905,  (where  Mr. 
Colby  was  then  living  as  a  retired  clergyman,  he  having  been  settled 
over  the  Congregational  church  there  for  several  years)  he  says:  "I 
think  the  fall  term  of  1853  was  the  largest  in  numbers  known  to  Ap- 
pleton  Academy.  My  impression  is  strong  that  it  was  the  last  term 
of  Mr.  Stevens  as  Principal  of  the  institution.     I  cannot  speak  defi.- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  125 

nitely  of  the  time  Mr.  Stevens  closed  his  connection  with  'Appleton.' 
But  I  was  there  with  him  in  the  same  relation  to  the  Academy  in  the 
Fall  term  of  '53  as  in  the  Fall  term  of  '52.  I  boarded  in  his  family 
in '53.  It  would  be  difficult  to  estimate  the  number  of  times  I  took 
little  George  about  the  house  in  a  baby  carriage,  with  the  announce- 
ment— 'Music  and  Drawing  taught  here' — little  George  furnishing  the 
Music  and  I  the  Drawing.  The  exact  date  when  Mr.  Stevens  gave 
up  his  position  of  Principal  I  cannot  give.  But  in  a  little  time  after 
my  return  to  Andover,  at  the  close  of  the  Fall  term,  Mr.  F.  0.  Kit- 
tredge,  as  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  came  to  Andover,  and 
in  an  interview  with  him  he  expressed  the  desire  of  the  Board  that  I 
would  take  the  position  which  Mr.  Stevens  had  given  up.  But  I  could 
not  think  of  postponing  my  Seminary  studies." 

The  above  reference  to  "little  George"  may  explain  why  Mrs. 
Stevens  did  not  act  as  full  Preceptress  during  the  second  year.  In 
the  second  catalogue  the  classification  of  students  is  not  by  terms, 
but  by  classes,  and  into  "Classical"  and  '"English"  Departments. 
But  in  the  summary  it  is  shown  that  during  the  fall  term  there  were 
101  students;  winter  term,  37  ;  spring  term,  80;  summer  term,  47. 
Total,  265.  Whole  number  of  different  students,  160.  It  was,  as 
Mr.  Colby  says,  the  largest  number  known  at  Appleton  Academy. 

It  is  probable  that  Mr.  Colby  is  not  quite  right  in  assuming  that 
Mr.  Stevens  left  the  school  at  the  end  of  the  Fall  term,  1853,  for 
Chapman's  History  of  Dartmouth  College  has  this  statement  concern- 
ing Mr.  Stevens,  which  probably  he  furnished  himself:  '-He  taught 
at  Gilraanton  Academy  from  1849  to  1850;  Pittslield  Academy,  1850 
to  1851  ;  Mont  Vernon  Academy,  August  1851  to  March  1854."  This 
book  was  published  as  early  as  1867,  and  is  probably  correct. 

Mr.  Colby  delivered  the  address  at  the  lirst  meeting  of  the 
Alumni,  which  occurred  August  31,  1854.  In  this  address  he  alluded 
to  the  completed  new  building,  so  that  it  must  have  been  finished 
sometime  during  the  fall  term  of  1853  ;  for  the  closing  exhibition  that 
term  was  in  the  new  building,  which  was  so  crowded  with  a  standing 
audience — the  settees  having  been  removed  — that  the  "exhibition" 
could  not  take  place,  and  was  adjourned  indefinitely.  But  early  in 
the  morning,  long  before  daybreak,  after  a  big  contingent  of  rude 
visitors  from  outer  places  had  departed,  the  boys  aroused  the  sleep- 
ing students  and  villagers,  and  the  exhibition  was  gone  through  with 
successfully,  concluding  about  the  time  it  had  come  to  be  broad  day- 
light. 


126  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

The  New  Academy  hall  was  the  pride  of  the  Trustees,  the  teach- 
ers, the  students,  and  the  people  of  the  town.  It  is  unfortunate 
that  the  Academy  records  are  so  meagre.  It  is  impossible  now  to 
trace  its  progress  to  completion,  its  cost,  or  the  sources  of  all  the 
money  which  was  secured  for  building  and  equipping  it. 

The  records  of  the  Trustees  are  very  meagre  and  unsatisfactory, 
after  the  organization  had  been  effected.  Just  why  it  was  named 
"Appleton  Academy"  is  not  told  in  the  records.'  Neither  does  it  ap- 
pear what  were  the  conditions  on  which  Mr.  Stevens  undertook  to 
carry  on  the  school.  January  1,  1853,  there  was  a  meeting  to  con- 
sider a  request  of  Mr.  Stevens  to  be  released  from  his  contract,  al- 
though there  is  no  record  of  his  having  preferred  such  a  request. 
The  school  had  started  out  splendidly  under  his  management,  and  the 
people  were  much  disappointed  at  the  prospect  of  losing  him.  The 
trustees  voted,  however,  at  this  first  of  January  meeting  to  comply 
with  his  request,  "providing  we  can  procure  a  good  teacher  to  take 
his  place." 

January  8,  1853.  Voted  "to  release  Mr.  Stevens  agreeable  to  his 
request,"  and  Nathaniel  Bruce  and  J.  A.  Starrett  were  chosen  a  com- 
mittee "to  notify  Mr.  Stevens  that  after  the  close  of  the  present  term 
he  is  released  from  his  agreement  unconditionally."  Two  days  later 
the  trustees  were  informed  that  Mr.  Stevens  had  been  notified,  and 
the  members  of  the  Board  were  "severally  requested  to  exert  them- 
selves to  find  a  good  teacher." 

The  project  for  erecting  a  new  Academy  building  must  have  been 
well  underway  before  this,  and  the  people  were  incited  to  effort  to 
achieve  this  by  the  success  which  the  school  had  met,  and  by  the  per- 
sonal push  and  spirit  of  the  Principal.  His  release  did  not  seem  to 
dampen  their  ardor.  This  enthusiasm  was  general,  and  in  no  wise 
confined  to  the  Trustees.  It  seems  that  the  corporation  had  already 
run  behind. 

On  the  13th  of  May  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  "Trustees  and 
others"  and  a  committee  was  appointed  "to  collect  what  money  they 
could"  for  the  Academy,  and  on  the  20th,  the  committee  was  author- 
ized "to  see  if  they  could  procure  $250  towards  paying  the  debts  of 
the  corporation." 

May  14,  1853,  the  Trustees  voted  "to  build  a  new  Academy 
building,  and  that  it  be  placed  on  land  of  George  Stevens,  if  the  land 
can  be  bought."  F.  O.  Kittredge,  William  Conant  and  Nathaniel 
Bruce  were  appointed  a  building  committee,   and  it  was  Noted  that 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  127 

"the  building  be  38  by  58;"  also  voted  "that  the  building  committee 
trade  with  Mr.  Stevens  for  land,  if  they  can." 

On  the  2ith  William  H.  Conant  was  chosen  Clerk  both  of  the 
corporation  and  the  Trustees,  and  Dea.  Starrett  was  appointed  a 
committee  to  procure  a  teacher  for  the  Fall  term  of  1853. 

It  is  exasperating  to  the  historian,  who  is  trying  to  make  out  a 
clear  and  connected  story,  to  find  breaks  in  the  very  official  records 
which  should  make  it  plain  sailing  for  him ;  and  to  be  obliged  to 
search  here  and  there  contemporary  records,  and  miscellaneous 
sources  of  information.  In  this  case  the  records  of  the  trustees  fail 
to  tell  us  when  Mr.  Stevens  was  allowed  to  leave  the  school.  Nor  is 
there  any  story  in  detail  as  to  how  the  new  Academy  was  built,  or  just 
when  it  was  finished.  This  much,  however,  is  certain  :  A  deed  found 
in  Hillsborough  county  records  shows  that  on  the  27th  day  of  May, 
1853,  George  Stevens  conveyed  to  the  Trustees  of  Appleton  Acad- 
emy the  land  on  which  the  Academy  was  subsequently  erected,  the 
consideration  being  8215.  In  further  consideration  the  Trustees 
were  "to  build  a  good  picket,  or  tight  board  or  other  fence  against  the 
Stevens  land,"  and  it  was  provided  that  "no  building  or  other  in- 
cumbrance should  be  placed  on  the  piece  of  land  reserved  for  a 
street  on  the  north  side  of  the  above  lot,  providing  it  is  not  used  for 
a  street." 

This  land  so  conveyed,  was  a  part  of  the  old  Dr.  Zephaniah  Kit- 
tredge  place,  which  was  afterwards  "Conant  Hall,"  burned  in  1896, 
and  now  (1905)  the  site  of  a  fine  summer  cottage  owned  by  Mr. 
C.  E.  Osgood  of  Boston.  Zephaniah  Kittredge,  (son  of  Dr.  Zepha- 
niah) and  Charles  Wilkins  are  named  in  the  deed  as  the  grantors  to 
Mr.  Stevens.  There  were  about  seven  acres  in  the  lot,  and  it  ex- 
tended on  the  turnpike  from  the  old  tavern  line  of  Thomas  Cloutman  to 
the  place  of  S.  O.  La  Forest  (now  owned  by  A.  "W.  Bragg),  and  on 
the  Milford  road  from  the  old  blacksmith  shop  of  Capt.  William 
Bruce,  just  below  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Park,  to  the  meeting- 
house lot,  north  of  the  new  meeting-house.  The  deed  to  Mr.  Stevens 
was  dated  February  6,  1852,  and  the  consideration  named  was  SI 500. 
The  roadway  reserved  was  evidently  the  present  street,  running  from 
the  Milford  road,  just  south  of  the  William  H.  Conant  house,  since 
built,  to  the  turnpike,  just  below  George  W.  Averill's  house,  which 
was  built  by  John  Kidder,  after  this  transaction. 

Of  course  when  Mr.  Stevens  purchased  this  place,  he  must  have 
intended  to  remain  more  or  less  permanently  at  Mont  Vernon.     And 


128  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

the  committee  having  been  "able  to  trade  with  Mr.  Stevens  for  the 
land,"  they  must  now  push  for  the  new  building,  that  was  to  furnish 
a  permanent  home  for  their  Academy,  which  had  made  so  auspicious 
a  beginning. 

The  institution  had  no  doubt  been  named  Appleton  Academy  in 
honor  of  William  Appleton  of  Boston,  one  of  her  wealthy  business 
men,  and  afterwards  the  representative  of  one  of  the  Boston  districts 
in  Congress. 

In  the  book  of  the  treasurer,  Mr.  William  A.  Stinson,  under 
date  of  November,  1853,  is  the  following  entry: 

"Received  of  the  Hon.  William  Appleton,  by  donation,  a  library 
containing  about  seven  hundred  volumes,  for  the  use  of  the  Institu- 
tion " 

It  is  not  of  record  whether  there  had  been  any  promise  or 
intimation  of  this  gift,  before  the  school  was  named,  but  its  found- 
ers evidently  had  "expectations"  from  the  namesake  of  their 
academy.  Mr.  Appleton  had  often  visited  the  town,  where  his 
mother  and  three  sisters  had  resided  for  some  years.  It  is  said 
that  he  was  not  consulted  as  to  the  name,  and  it  was  felt  by  some 
that  he  did  not  very  warmly  appreciate  the  honor  done  him.  The 
library  was,  however,  a  very  welcome  adjunct  to  the  equipment  of 
of  the  school,  and  was  a  well-selected  and  valuable  collection  of 
books,  which  have  been  freely  used  by  teachers  and  pupils,  and  which 
were  accessible  to  the  towns-people,  and  to  this  day,  are  in  constant 
use.  Mr.  Appleton  also  added  one  hundred  dollars  in  cash,  to  his 
donation,  in  the  spring  of  1855. 

The  propriety  of  the  name  "Appleton"  was  enhanced  by  a  do- 
nation of  $500  in  money  by  Samuel  Appleton,  a  cousin  of  William, 
as  is  shown  by  an  entry  on  a  page  of  the  Record  book  of  the  Trus- 
tees, next  following  a  record  of  a  meeting  held  August  16,  1852,  but 
which  is  itself  without  date,  to  the  effect  that  the  Trustees  requested 
that  a  record  be  made  upon  the  book  of  records,  "of  a  donation  of 
the  Hon.  Samuel  Appleton  towards  the  New  Academy  of  Five  hun- 
dred Dollars,  also  a  donation  of  Two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  from 
Dr.  Ingalls  Kittredge  of  Beverly,  Mass.,  for  the  same  building." 

In  the  Treasurer's  book  for  1853  (William  A.  Stinson,  Treas- 
urer) is  the  following  entry  of  donations  and  loans  to  build  the  new- 
Academy,  which  were  received  in  cash: 

Samuel  Appleton,  $500.00 

Dr.  Daniel  Adams,  "25.00 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


12D 


Dea.  William  Conant,  300.00 

F.  O.  Kittredge,  250.00 

M.  G.  Rotch,  50.00 

Thos.  Cloutman,  100.00 

Timothy  Kittredge,  125.00 

Albert  Conant,  25.00 

Ladies  Levee,  64. 1 1 

W.  H.  &  A.  Conant,  50.00 

Rev.  C.  D.  Herbert,  15.00 

Nathaniel  Bruce,  50.00 

Zephaniah  Kittredge,  25.00 

Win.  A.  Stinson,  50.00 

John  Trevitt,  25.00 

H.  H.  Bragg,  100.00 

John  Bruce,  50.00 

James  Bruce,  50.00 

Dea.  Geo.  E.  Dean,  50.00 

George  Stevens,  50.00 

Joshua  Cleaves,  10.55 

Ira  Kendall.  5.00 

Wm.  L.  Cleaves,  10.00 

Ezra  Batchelder,  3.00 

Henry  Batchelder,  3.00 

Clinton  Roby,  5.00 

Daniel  P.  Kendall,  5.00 

Ira  Wilkins,  5.00 

Warren  Williams,  1.00 

Thos.  H.  Richardson,  100.00 

Dr.  Ingalls  Kittredge,  250.00 

Dea.  Alvah  Kittredge,  100.00 

Ezra  Holt,  3.00 

Fines  of  Burnham  &  Langdell,  8.75 

Interest  and  Lumber,  1.95 

Building  Committee,  (Money  Borrowed,)  1625.00 

N.  Bruce,  Auction  bills,  4.76 

Levee  Feb.  22nd,  1854,  59.50 

Asa  Stevens,  50.00 

Building  Committee,  (Note  given  John  Elliott,)  175.00 

Wm.  T.  Haskell,  25.00 

Lumber  sold  at  Auction,  6.75 


130  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Geo.  E.  Dean,        (Money  Borrowed,)  60.00 

Hannah  Lamson,          "           "  25.00 

Greenough  Marden,     "           "  800.00 

Widow  Blanehard,       '•           "  400.00 

Donation  of  T.  H.  Richardson,  25.00 

"         "    D.  R.  Baker,  25.00 

"          "    A.  A.  Gerrish,  10.00 

"         "    J.  A.  Starrett,  25.00 

"    Chas.  G.  Perkins,  5.00 

"    CD.  Herbert,  5.00 

"    Jos.  W.  Perkins,  3.00 

"         "    Mrs.  Whittemore,  3.00 

"          "    John  Bruce,  5.00 

"         "    Joseph  Underwood,  3.00 

"          "    Samuel  Baldwin,  1.50 

"    Ira  Kendall,  2.00 

"         "    Sardis  Johnson,  3.00 

"         "    Perley  Batchelder,  2.00 

"         "    Henry  Batchelder,  1.00 

"    B.  F.  Marden,  5.00 


$5319.85 


This  was  the  beginning  of  the  enterprise  of  building  the  Acad- 
emy. It  is  a  pity  that  the  story  cannot  be  told  more  in  detail.  It 
was  no  small  undertaking  for  these  men,  none  of  them  of  more  than 
moderate  means,  to  raise  upwards  of  five  thousand  dollars  for  such  a 
purpose.  It  was  secured  only  by  the  co-operation  of  some  men  who 
could  but  little  more  than  support  their  families,  and  by  the  widows' 
mites. 

The  Trustees'  records  are  silent  as  to  when  work  on  the  Academy 
was  begun,  or  as  to  what  its  entire  cost  was.  In  his  "Annals,"  read 
at  the  Quarter-Centennial  celebration  in  1-S75,  Mr.  H.  Porter  Smith 
says  :  "We  remember  the  day  that  Capt  Kittredge  and  others  came 
with  their  oxen  and  broke  ground  for  its  foundation."  He  does  not 
give  the  date  when  this  happened,  but  as  the  above  list  of  donations 
is  dated  March,  1853,  the  breaking  of  ground  most  likely  occurred  as 
early  that  spring  as  the  ground  could  be  worked. 

The  Treasurer's  book  shows  in  detail  to  whom  the  money  which 
had  been  raised  was  paid,  but  it  does  not  furnish  much  information 
as  to  the  details  of  what  was  done.     There  is  no  mention  of  any 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  131 

contract  entered  into  by  the  building  committee,  and  perhaps  there 

was  none.  The  construction  was  superintended  by  Mr.  Samuel  .Mar- 
den,  of  Newton,  Mass.,  a  contractor  and  builder  of  Large  experience, 
and  whose  wife  (born  Eliza  Ann  Young)  was  formerly  a  residenl  of 
Mont   Vernon.      Mr.    Marden   did    a    remarkably   good   job.      The 

Academy,  which  still  stands  apparently  as  sound  as  ever,  is  a  hand- 
some structure,  40  feet  by  60  in  size,  the  upper  story  mainly  devoted 
to  a  fine  hall,  nearly  40  x  50,  with  12  foot  posts,  and  well  adapted 
to  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  erected.  Work  on  it  was  rapidly 
pushed  all  summer,  and  the  disbursements  shown  on  the  Treasurer's 
book  indicate  that  about  every  mechanic  and  farmer  in  town  was 
more  or  less  employed  on  the  building.  There  were  frequent  loans 
of  not  large  amounts,  from  time  to  time,  as  exigences  arose,  and  all 
the  time  there  were  accessions  to  the  funds  by  contribution. 

Not  only  were  these  contributions  for  the  erection  and  equipment 
of  the  building,  but  there  were  long  lists  of  contributions  "towards 
defraying  the  deficiency  for  teachers'  services,  after  deducting  tuition 
for  the  year  ending  in  1856."  Thirteen  citizens  are  recorded  as  hav- 
ing paid  an  assessment  of  $20.43  each  towards  this  deficiency. 

There  was  still  another  subscription  towards  "•paying  the  Acad- 
emy debt."  It  is  dated  1855  and  1856,  and  is  worth  reproducing,  as 
showing  the  devotion  and  persistence  of  the  men  who  were  pushing 
the  enterprise. 

Dea.  William  Conant,  $750.00 

F.  O.  Kittredge,  400.00 

J.  A    Starrett,  150.00 

Timothy  Kittredge,  150.00 

Geo.  E.  Dean,  100.00 

James  Bruce,  171.90 

John  Bruce,  100.00 

Thomas  Cloutman,  50.00 

C.  B.  Southworth,  10. 00 

Win.  A.  Stinson,  25  00 

Samuel  Campbell,  35.00 

Dr.  A.  A.  Gerrish,  2 ."..00 

Hiram  Perkins,  20.00 

Newell  D.  Foster,  5.00 

Chas.  R.  Beard,  25.00 

Daniel  R.  Baker,  25.00 

Wm.  H.  Conant,  25.00 


132  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

William  Lamson,  20  00 

John  Weston,  10.00 

Trask  W.  Averill,  10.00 

Nathaniel  Bruce,  25.00 

Wm.  O.  Lamson,  10.00 

Mrs.  E.  W.  Bruce,  25.00 

Matthew  G.  Rotch,  25.00 

Joshua  Cleaves,  10.00 

The  donation  of  $750  by  Dea.  Wm.  Conant  was  the  valuation  of 

a  house  bought  by  him  probably  for  a  boarding  house  for  pupils.     It 

is  now  known  as  the  "Sunset  House"  for  summer  boarders  owned  by 

W.  H.  Marvel. 

Besides  these  there  were  several  small  contributions,  including 
sundry  amounts  of  interest  due  on  money  loaned — and  very  likely 
some  of  the  subscriptions  represented  the  principal  of  loans  to  the 
Academy.  In  fact  in  addition  to  the  above  is  an  entry  of  "Cash 
received  of  Dea.  John  Bruce,  balance  of  note  given  up,   827.00." 

The  records  of  the  Trustees,  until  the  endowment  by  Mr. 
McCollom  in  1871,  and  the  change  of  name,  abouud  in  entries  show- 
ing frequent  "taxes"  as  they  were  sometimes  called,  or  "assess- 
ments," or  "subscriptions"  to  make  up  deficiencies  of  teachers' 
salaries,  or  to  pay  debts.  But  these  records  almost  every  time  fail 
to  give  the  details  which  would  be  most  interesting. 

In  the  catalogue  issued  at  the  close  of  the  school  year  ( August, 
1853,)  it  is  remarked  that  "the  Institution  has  now  been  in  opera- 
tion two  years.  The  unexpected  success  which  has  attended  it  encour- 
ages the  Trustees  to  prosecute  their  plan  of  making  it  a  permanent 
school.  A  new,  elegant  and  spacious  building,  now  in  process  of 
erection,  will  be  opened  for  the  school  at  the  commencement  of  the 
Fall  Term,  1853." 

It  is  also  remarked  that  "the  school  is  furnished  with  a  good 
Philosophical  Apparatus."  Several  pieces  of  this  apparatus  are  still 
in  use. 

It  is  also  noted  that  "the  Philorrhetorian  Society,  a  Literary 
Association  connected  with  the  school  is  already  in  possession  of  a 
valuable  library,  which  is  to  be  enlarged  the  present  season  by 
books  to  the  value  of  live  hundred  dollars  presented  for  that  purpose 
by  the  Hon.  William  Appleton,  of  Boston."  This  last  came  duly  to 
hand  in  November,  and  was  housed  in  a  room  set  apart  for  a  library 
in  the  new  building. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  133 

Without  finding  any  record  showing  that  the  Fall  Term  of  1853 
Infill  iii  the  new  building,  it  seems  to  be  established  that  Mr. 
Stevens  began  the  year  as  principal,  and  that  the  new  building  was 
moved  into  late  in  the  term,  and  it  is  certain,  as  previously  narrated, 
that  the  "closing  exhibition"  was  given  there. 

Geo.  Stevens  was  a  remarkable  teacher.  He  was  not  only  a 
scholar  of  high  attainments,  but  he  had  the  rare  gift  of  arousing  the 
interest  and  enthusiasm  of  his  pupils,  and  an  unusual  ability  in  im- 
parting instruction,  and  in  making  the  student  work  for  himself.  He 
was  the  prime  cause  of  the  establishment  of  the  Academy,  in  securing 
the  new  building,  and  in  starting  the  school  on  a  prosperous  career. 
Rev.  Dr.  Bancroft  of  Phillips  Academy  at  Andover,  one  of  Mr. 
Stevens's  successors,  in  a  [taper  read  at  the  alumni  meeting  in  1890, 
said  :  "There  were  many  who  might  properly  be  mentioned  as  found- 
ers of  this  school.  It  is  doing  none  of  them  injustice  to  say  Mr. 
Stevens  was  at  the  head  of  the  column,  and  that  but  for  him  the  thing 
would  not  have  happeued  as  it  did,  or  when  it  did." 

Mr.  Stevens  not  only  planned  and  pushed  the  erection  of  the  new 
building,  but  he  gave,  from  first  to  last,  most  liberally  in  a  pecuniary 
way  to  its  success,  even  in  years  after  he  had  left  it.  When  he  came 
to  Mont  Vernon  from  Pittsfield  Academy,  he  brought  with  him  a  con- 
siderable number  of  young  men  who  had  attended  his  school  there, 
and  whose  character  and  attainments  did  much  to  give  the  school  a 
reputation.  They  had  tested  Mr.  Stevens's  abilities  as  a  teacher  and 
followed  him  in  order  to  further  profit  by  them.  They  not  only  in- 
cluded the  Pittsfield  names  which  appear  in  the  first  catalogue  (1851- 
52)  given  above,  but  those  of  Buzzell  of  Northwood,  Emerson  and 
the  Hansons  of  Barustead,  Wheeler  of  Amherst  and  Morrill  of 
Canterbury. 

Mr.  Stevens  was  born  in  Stoddard,  N.  H.,  October  23,  1824.  His 
father  was  Daniel  Stevens,  a  farmer,  and  his  mother  was  Tabitha 
(Sawyer)  Stevens.  Later  the  family  removed  to  Hancock,  and  later 
still  to  Mont  Vernon.  He  worked  his  way  through  a  preparation  for 
college,  and  entered  Dartmouth  in  1845,  paying  his  way  chiefly  by 
teaching.  He  graduated  with  his  class  in  1849,  and  at  once  began 
teaching  at  Gilmauton  Academy,  and  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
Ira  Allen  Eastman,  who  was  a  Dartmouth  man  of  1829.  The  next 
year  (1850-51)  he  taught  the  Pittsfield  Academy,  continuing  his  law 
studies  with  the  Hon.  Moses  Norris  of  that  town.  In  the  fall  of  1851 
he  came  to  Mont  Vernon,  where  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  he  contin- 


134  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

lied  his  law  studies  as  be  found  opportunity.  When  he  had  gotten 
the  school  well  started,  he  asked  to  be  released  from  his  contract  with 
the  Trustees,  and  they  released  him.  He  removed  to  Lowell  in 
March,  1854,  and  finished  his  law  studies  in  the  office  of  the  Hon. 
William  A.  Richardson,  afterwards  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  under 
President  Grant.  Three  of  the  young  men  who  had  begun  to  fit  for 
college  with  him  at  Mont  Vernon,  followed  him  to  Lowell  and  fin- 
ished their  preparation  under  his  tuition  there.  They  were  A  ins- 
worth  E.  Blunt  and  John  F.  Colby,  who  subsequently  graduated  at 
Dartmouth,  and  William  E.  Barrett,  who  graduated  at  Harvard. 

Mrs.  Stevens  was  Elizabeth  R.  Kimball,  daughter  of  Mr.  James 
Kimball  of  Littleton,  Mass.  She  graduated  at  Mount  Holyoke  Fe- 
male Seminary  in  the  class  of  1847,  and  for  a  time" occupied  the 
position  of  secretary  to  Mary  Lyon.  She  assisted  Mr.  Stevens  at 
Pittstield  Academy.  They  were  married  at  Littleton,  September  19, 
1850. 

On  his  admission  to  the  bar  at  Lowell  in  1854,  Mr.  Stevens  at 
once  began  to  achieve  success  in  his  profession.  On  January  1, 
1856,  he  was  appointed  Clerk  of  the  Police  Court  in  Lowell  and 
served  in  that  capacity  until  August  1,  1857.  The  Justice  of  the 
court  at  that  time  was  the  Hon.  Nathan  Crosby,  a  prominent  gradu- 
ate of  Dartmouth.  From  1858  to  1874  Mr.  Stevens  was  an  Associ- 
ate Justice  of  the  same  court,  and  frequently  presided  at  its  sessions. 
In  1858  he  served  in  the  Massachusetts  House  of  Representatives, 
but  declined  a  re-election,  saying  he  could  not  afford  to  spare  the 
time  from  his  practice.  In  1867  and  1868  he  held  the  office  of  City 
Solicitor  of  Lowell,  and  for  five  years  (1874-1879)  he  served  in  the 
position  of  District  Attorney  of  the  North  Middlesex  District. 

There  seems  to  have  been  no  catalogue  published  of  the  last 
(partial)  year  of  Mr.  Stevens's  administration.  But  there  is  in  pos- 
session of  the  Rev.  John  Colby,  his  assistant,  a  list  of  names  of 
those  in  attendance  during  the  fall  term  (1853)  who  presented  Mr. 
Colby  with  "a  very  valuable  book  in  2  volumes"  as  "a  token  of  their 
respect  and  regard."  The  names  of  41  ladies  and  37  gentlemen  ap- 
pear on  this  list,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  there  were  some  who 
could  not  afford  to  enroll  themselves ;  so  that  there  must  have  been 
over  78  pupils  in  attendance  that  term. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  neither  the  records  of  the  Trustees 
nor  the  Treasurer's  book  make  the  slightest  reference  to  the  school 
year  1854-55,  during  which  Mr.  Fenner  E.  King  was  the  third  prin- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  135 

cipal  of  the  Academy.  There  was  no  catalogue  published  of  Mr. 
King's  year.  There  is  extant,  however,  the  circular  issued  by  the 
Trustees  under  date  of  August  1,  1854,  from  which   we   learn   that — 

The  Board  of  Instruction  consisted  of  Fenner  E.  King,  A.  B., 
Principal;  Miss  Elizabeth  A.  Neilson,  Preceptress;  Miss  Sophia  M. 
Neilson,  Associate  Preceptress.  The  following  paragraphs,  among 
others,  appeared  in  the  circular: 

"The  new  and  splendid  Academy  Building  erected  the  past  year, 
is  completely  finished." 

"MEETING  OF  THE  ALUMNI.— In  accordance  with  the  wish  of 
many  of  those  who  have  enjoyed  the  privileges  of  Appleton  Academy, 
the  Trustees  hereby  extend  an  invitation  to  all  its  former  students,  as 
well  as  those  who  propose  attending  the  ensuing  Fall  Term,  to  meet  at 
Academy  Hall,  Mont  Vernon,  on  Thursday,  Aug.  31,  1854,  at  10  o'clock 
a.  m.,  to  reviewr  the  pleasant  social  feelings  of  the  past;  and  at2o'clock 
P.  M.,  listen  to  an  address  from  the  Rev.  John  Colby,  a  former  Instructor, 
and  remarks  from  those  who  have  been  connected  with  the  school. 

Per  order  of  the  Trustees, 

Wm.  H.  Conant,  Clerk." 

This  was  to  be  the  first  of  a  long  list  of  alumni  meetings,  a 
somewhat  detailed  account  of  which  will  appear  later  on. 

Mr.  King  had  a  fairly  prosperous  year.  He  was  a  most  courte- 
ous and  dignified  gentleman.  He  was  married  either  before  the 
school  opened,  or  during  the  first  term,  as  Miss  Elizabeth  A.  Neilson 
became  Mrs.  King  before  the  school  closed. 

Mr.  Augustus  Berry  was  the  fourth  principal.  Under  date  of 
October  12,  1855,  the  Trustees  are  recorded  to  have  chosen  Mr.  F. 
0.  Kittredge  a  committee  "to  wait  on  Mr.  Berry  and  invite  him  to 
meet  them."  Also  "instructed  Mr.  Berry  to  ascertain  what  Miss 
Bradbury's  terms  would  be  for  assisting  in  instruction  ore  year." 
The  next  evening  Mr.  Berry  reported  that  Miss  Bradbury  would  not 
want  to  stay  less  than  $250  per  year.  It  would  seem  to  have  been 
even  more  important  to  hav£  recorded  under  what  conditions  Mr. 
Berry  and  Miss  Bradbury  began  their  work.  No  catalogue  of  1855- 
56  (Mr.  Berry's  first  year)  seems  to  have  been  published.  But  one 
was  published  under  date  of  January  1,  1857,  which  must  have  cov- 
ered a  portion  at  least  of  the  year  1856,  and  perhaps  it  was  intended 
to  cover  the  whole  of  Mr.  Berry's  first  year.  It  gives  the  names  of 
the  students  in  the  "Male,"  and  "Female"  departments — the  males 
numbeiing  66  and  the  females  52 — being,  no  doubt,  the  number  of 
different  pupils  for  the  year. 


136  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

The  catalogue,  under  the  head  of  "Expenses"  says  that  "board 
can  be  obtained  at  various  prices,  according  to  the  quality  and  dis- 
tance from  the  Academy.  The  usual  terms  per  week  are  $2.25  for 
males  and  $2.00  for  females."  It  was  at  this  time  that  Mr.  F.  0. 
Kittredge's  Mont  Vernon  House,  (the  old  Cloutman  tavern,)  which 
had  been  purchased  by  himself  and  Captain  Timothy  Kittredge  on 
purpose  to  furnish  boarding  accommodations  for  teachers  and  stu- 
dents, was  used  for  that  purpose,  and  was  announced  in  this  cata- 
logue as  available.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Berry  boarded  there. 

This  catalogue  gives  the  name  of  Augustus  Berry,  A.  B.,  as 
Principal,  and  Miss  Martha  W.  Bradbury  as  Preceptress  and  Teacher 
of  French  and  Music. 

The  next  catalogue  is  dated  April  1,  1858,  and  was  "published 
by  the  students,"  as  the  title  page  informs  us.  Miss  Bradbury  is 
succeeded  by  Miss  Emily  A.  Snow  (a  sister  of  Mrs.  Berry)  as 
Preceptress.  The  number  of  students  in  the  Male  department  foots 
up  89,  and  in  the  Female  department,  75.  But  this  is  not  very  intel- 
ligible, and  it  is  not  certain  just  what  time  is  covered.  The  names 
of  George  A.  Bruce  and  George  A.  Marden  are  among  those  in  this 
catalogue,  though  both  left  at  the  end  of  the  summer  term  of  1856-57 
and  entered  Dartmouth  College  in  the  autumn  of  1857. 

The  next  catalogue  is  dated  April  1,  1851),  and  as  before,  is 
"published  by  the  students."  There  were  96  students  in  the  Male 
department  and  86  in  the  Female  department. 

April  10,  1856,  the  Trustees  chose  a  committee  "to  raise  funds 
to  pay  the  debt  on  the  Academy." 

June  18,  1857,  a  committee  was  named  "to  make  the  tax  on 
the  arrearages  of  the  past  year  of  the  school,  and  to  collect  the  same, 
and  to  obtain  names  to  be  responsible  for  Mr.  Berry's  salary  another 
year." 

June  28,  1858,  the  Trustees  met  to  take  measures  to  settle  the 
Academy  expenses  in  relation  to  hiring  Mr.  Berry  another  year. 

July  2,  it  was  voted  by  the  Trustees  to  "continue  the  school 
another  year,  and  that  a  committee  be  raised  to  make  a  bargain  with 
Mr.  Berry  for  his  services  as  teacher."  A  committee  was  also  chosen 
"to  draw  up  a  paper  for  the  support  of  the  school  another  year,  and 
spend  one  day  soliciting  names  or  signers  to  bear  their  proportion  of 
the  deficiency  if  any  should  occur." 

None  of  these  committees  seem  to  have  reported  anything,  but 
the  debts  were  paid,  and  the  deficiencies  were  made  up. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  137 

July  1,  1858,  the  Trustees  voted  "to  write  to  Dr.  [ngalls  Kit- 
tredge,  of  Beverly,  in  relation  t<>  the  farm  willed  to  the  Academy  by 
his  father."  But  there  is  no  solution  of  the  mysterious  vote  on  the 
subsequent  records. 

There  seems  to  have  been  a  permanent  fund  established  during 
Mr.  Berry's  term  of  service,  though  just  how  much  it  amounted  to, 
or  how  it  was  raised  is  not  clear.  Under  date  of  May  15,  1857,  the 
Treasurer's  book  contains  the  following  entry:  "Received  of  the 
Ladies'  Circle  in  Mont  Vernon,  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven  dollars 
for  a  permanent  fund  for  Appleton  Academy,  the  interest  only  to  be 
used  yearly  for  the  support  of  said  institution.  The  above  loaned  to 
the  Town  of  Mont  Vernon." 

In  the  Trustees'  records  for  March  30,  1859,  it  was  voted  "That 
the  treasurer  obtain  what  donations  he  can  for  the  Academy,  and 
that  he  collect  the  interest  on  the  fund,  on  or  before  the  1st  of  July 
next;  also  that  he  obtain  a  note  of  Capt.  Timothy  Kittredge  for  the 
amount  of  the  fund  in  his  hands  (8500),  said  note  to  be  lodged  with 
the  Treasurer." 

There  are  two  more  references  to  a  "fund,"  but  we  look  in  vain 
for  any  clear  information  in  the  records.  It  is  evident  that  there 
was  some  difficulty  about  insurance  on  the  Academy,  and  under  the 
last  named  date,  the  following  queer  vote  was  taken : 

"Voted,  that  any  persons  applying  to  the  Treasurer  shall  receive 
from  him  a  receipt  or  certificate  that  they  are  proprietors  in  the 
House  to  the  amount  they  have  paid  in  towards  the  NewT  Academy 
Building,  and  if  they  choose  to  get  their  property  insured  they  can 
do  so." 

March  31,  1860,  there  is  another  reference  to  the  "fund"  in  the 
choice  of  a  committee  "to  wait  on  Capt  Kittredge  and  ascertain  if  he 
intends  to  pay  the  interest  on  his  fund  annually  which  he  promised 
the  Academy  when  the  debts  were  paid."  April  13,  the  committee 
reported,  and  the  report  was  accepted,  but  there  is  no  clew  as  to 
what  the  report  was. 

This  is  the  financial  story  of  the  school  during  Mr.  Berry's  stay. 
It  was  a  constant  task  to  keep  the  school  going  and  the  bills  paid — 
but  it  was  done. 

As  is  seen  by  the  figures  given  above,  in  numbers  the  Academy 
was  growingly  prosperous  under  Mr.  Berry's  charge.  lie  was  a  man 
of  rather  stern  demeanor,  and  called  boys  and  girls  alike  by  their 
first  names,  and  wras  disciplinary  in  a  familiar  way.     lie  was  thor- 


138  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

oughly  conscientious,  and  did  his  best  by  all.  Everybody  gave  him 
sincere  respect  and  admiration  as  a  teacher  and  as  a  man.  He  closed 
his  connection  with  the  school  at  the  end  of  the  summer  term  of  1860. 
In  a  letter  written  at  the  time  of  the  quarter-centennial  of  the  school, 
Mr.  Berry  said  :  "There  was  not  a  term  while  I  was  there,  that  there 
were  not  individuals  who  have  since  made  their  mark."  "The  period 
in  which  I  had  charge,  I  think  was  distinguished  by  nothing  more 
than  by  the  union  of  effort  on  the  part  of  the  citizens  in  sustaining 
the  school,  and  its  increasing  prosperity  was  the  result  of  that  effort." 

Miss  Bradbury,  his  first  assistant,  was  a  most  vivacious,  charm- 
ing and  delightful  woman,  and  a  brilliant  teacher.  Her  pupiis  all 
doted  on  her.  Miss  Emily  C.  Snow,  who  succeeded  her,  and  re- 
mained as  long  as  Mr.  Berry  did,  was  also  a  most  faithful  and  com- 
petent teacher. 

Augustus  Berry  was  born  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  October  27,  1824, 
the  son  of  Washington  and  Maria  (Dale)  Berry.  He  fitted  for  col- 
lege at  Francestown  Academy,  and  graduated  at  Amherst  College  in 
1851.  He  was  principal  of  an  academy  at  Limerick,  Me  ,  1851-53, 
at  Lyndon,  Vt.,  1853-55,  Appleton  Academy,  Mont  Vernon,  1855- 
60.  While  at  Mont  Vernon  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Hollis 
Association,  and  often  supplied  the  pulpit  at  Mont  Vernon,  and  in 
the  neighboring  towns.  After  leaving  Mont  Vernon,  he  studied  at  An- 
dover  Theological  Seminary  as  a  resident  licentiate,  and  was  ordained 
as  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Pelham,  N.  H.,  October 
30,  1861.  It  was  his  only  pastorate.  He  died  suddenly  in  the  har- 
ness, of  heart  failure,  after  a  service  to  one  church  of  nearly  38 
years,  October  4,  1899,  aged  74  years,  11  months  and  27  clays.  He 
was  married  November  24,  1853,  to  Dora  Richardson  Snow  of  Dub- 
lin, N.  H.,  who  died  March  15,  1873.  January  30,  1877,  he  was 
married  a  second  time,  to  Mary  Currier  Richardson,  of  Pelham,  who 
was  then  a  teacher  in  Bradford  Academy,  and  who  survives  him, 
and  is  still  (1906)  a  resident  of  Pelham. 

Cecil  Franklin  Patch  Bancroft  was  the  fifth  principal,  who  came 
fresh  from  Dartmouth  College,  where  he  graduated  in  July,  1860,  the 
fourth  in  rank  in  a  class  of  sixty-five.  He  was  not  only  a  brilliant 
scholar,  but  he  became  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  American  educa- 
tors, being  at  his  death  in  the  twenty-eighth  year  of  consecutive 
service  as  Principal  of  that  famous  fitting  school  Phillips  Academy, 
at  Andover,  Mass.  He  came  to  Mont  Vernon  with  only  the  degree 
of  A.  B.  to  ornament  his  name.     He  died  entitled  to  write  A.  M., 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  139 

Litt.  I).,  Ph.  1).,  and  LL.  D.,  after  the  A.  B.,  and  with  a  record  fully 
entitling  Mm  to  the  honors. 

In  a  letter  to  H.  Porter  Smith,  which  is  published  in  the 
"Annals"  of  Appleton  Academy  prepared  by  Mr.  Smith  for  the 
Quarter-Centennial  of  the  Academy,  Dr.  Bancroft  said:  "I  went  to 
Mont  Vernon  in  August,  1860,  and  remained  four  years.  My  sister 
(now  Mrs.  A.  Conant)  was  my  assistant,  and  George  A.  Marden, 
Miss  Sarah  A.  Stinson,  and  Miss  Martha  E.  Conant,  also  had  classes 
for  a  short  time.  At  that  time  the  Academy  had  a  fund  of  seven 
hundred  dollars,  and  no  boarding-house.  One  fall  I  had  eighty  schol- 
ars, and  it  was  regarded  as  a  great  success.  One  year,  when  all  my 
'big'  boys  had  gone  to  war,  my  salary  amounted  to  four  hundred  and 
twenty  dollars,  and  some  of  the  time  I  taught  teu  hours  a  day." 

After  naming  some  of  the  most  prominent  of  his  pupils,  he 
adds:  "The  war  interest  was  the  great  one  in  my  time,  and  our 
schools  all  suffered  for  want  of  men  and  means.  I  remember  W. 
H.  Conant's  coming  in,  pale  with  excitement  one  evening,  in  my  first 
spring  term,  April,  1861,  with  the  news  of  Massachusetts  men  slain 
in  Baltimore.  When  I  resigned  in  1864,  our  armies  were  lying  about 
Petersburg  apparently  idle;  prices  went  up,  and  receipts  went  down, 
aud  the  wonder  to  my  mind  now  is,  that  we  accomplished  as  much  as 
we  did.  But  the  people  of  Mont  Vernon  were  always  kind  and  ap- 
preciative, and  my  resideuce  there,  though  not  without  many  draw- 
backs to  usefulness  and  happiness  and  personal  improvement,  was 
one  for  which  1  have  every  reason  to  be  grateful.  1  was  invited  to 
the  place  without  seeking  it,  and  left  it  without  pressure,  to  pursue 
my  further  studies.  My  interest  in  the  school  wdl  never  die.  May 
the  school  flourish  forever,  and  its  friends  rise  up  to  make  it  a  bless- 
ing to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  to  the  end  of  time.'* 

As  usual  the  records  are  silent  as  to  the  coming  of  Mr.  Bancroft 
or  his  assistant,  aud  as  to  the  arrangements  under  which  he  was  to 
conduct  the  school.  But  at  the  annual  meeting,  March  30,  1861,  a 
committee  was  appointed  "to  engage  the  services  of  Mr.  Bancroft 
another  year ;"  and,  if  possible,  "on  the  same  terms  as  last  year." 
These  terms  are  now  stated,  viz  ;  "he  is  to  take  the  school  on  his  own 
responsibility,  and  if  his  receipts  during  the  year  do  not  amount  to 
$900,  he  is  to  have  the  interest  of  the  fund."  In  the  language  quot- 
ted  above,  Mr.  Bancroft  put  the  fund  at  8700,  which  must  chiefly 
have  been  made  up  of  the  8167  received  from  the  Ladies'  Circle,  and 
the  $.300  in  the  hands  of  Captain  Kittredge. 


140  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

On  this  same  30th  of  March  it  was  voted  "that  a  committee  be 
raised  to  prepare  a  communication  to  be  presented  to  Hon.  William 
Appleton  of  Boston,  soliciting  from  him  an  addition  to  the  fund  of 
the  Academy."  The  committee  made  a  report,  but  "in  consequence 
of  the  exciting  war  news"  action  was  postponed.  Mr.  Bancroft  said 
he  would  stay  another  year  if  the  Trustees  "would  find  him  in  wood." 
and  they  at  once  set  about  raising  money  to  buy  the  wood. 

Mr.  Bancroft  continued  in  charge  of  the  school  through  to  the 
close  of  the  summer  term  of  1864,  with  a  hundred  dollars  increase  of 
salary,  and  with  a  release  from  the  requirement  to  have  an  assistant 
during  the  winter  and  summer  terms.  As  usual  a  subscription  was 
started  to  raise  the  hundred  dollars  increase  in  salary,  and  for  money 
enough  to  pay  the  Hillsborough  Fire  Insurance  Company  what  was 
due  it  for  insurance. 

Cecil  Franklin  Patch  Bancroft  was  born  in  New  Ipswich,  N.  H., 
November  25,  1839,  and  died  at  Andover,  Mass.,  October  4,  1901. 
He  was  of  plain,  sturdy,  honest  patriotic  New  England  ancestry.  In 
childhood  he  was  practically  though  not  legally  adopted  by  a  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Patch,  of  Ashby,  Mass.  He  fitted  for  college  at  Apple- 
ton  Academ}7,  New  Ipswich,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1H60,  taught 
at  Mont  Vernon  1860-1864,  graduated  at  Andover  Theological  Sem- 
inary in  1867.  At  his  death,  his  close  friend,  the  Rev.  C.  C. 
Carpenter,  wrote  as  follows  of  him  in  the  Conyregalionalist  of  October 
12,  1901: 

"Although  ordained  to  the  Congregational  ministry  (at  Mont 
Vernon,  May  1,  1867)  he  was  never  a  settled  j  astor,  choosing  teach- 
ing as  his  life  work,  a  service  long  and  grandly  fulfilled.  From  1867 
to  1872  he  was  principal  of  C.  R.  Robert's  institution  for  white  youth 
on  the  summit  of  Lookout  Mountain,  Tenn.,  gaining  the  lasting 
affection  of  many  men  and  women  of  the  Southern  States.  After  a 
year  of  European  travel  and  study  (in  the  University  of  Halle)  he 
was  elected  in  1873  to  the  principalship  of  Phillips  Academy — the 
position  filled  for  thirty-four  years  by  Dr.  Samuel  H.  Taylor. 

"He  was  a  worthy  successor  of  that  great  teacher,  though  with 
a  rule  less  stern  as  befitted  the  changing  times.  With  marvellous 
tact,  with  most  kindly  heart  and  most  genial  temperament,  with  a 
phenomenal  remembrance  of  names  and  faces,  seeming  to  know  every 
'Phillips  boy,'  from  the  oldest  alumnus  to  the  youngest  under-gradu- 
ate,  he  impressed  himself  strongly  alike  on  the  student  body  and  the 
hosts  of  alumni,  about  five  thousand  of  whom  had  been  in  the  school 
in  his  twenty-eight  years  of  service.     *     *     *     * 

"As  a  citizen  of  Andover  he  was  greatly  honored  and  beloved. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  141 

Like  bis  intimate  friend,  the  late  Professor  Churchill,  his  heart  and 
hand  were  in  every  good  work,  public  and  private.  The  University 
of  the  State  of  New  York  gave  him  the  degree  of  Ph.  I),  in  1871, 
Williams  College  that  of  Litt.  D.  in  1891,  and  Yale  University  that 
of  LL.  1).  in  1892.  Since  1897  he  has  been  a  trustee  of  Dartmouth 
College.  He  was  also  a  trustee  of  the  state  institutions  at  Tewks- 
bury  and  Bridgewater,  and  had  been  President  of  the  Dartmouth 
Alumni  Association,  the  Merrimack  Valley  Congregational  Club,  and 
of  the  Head  Masters'  Association  of  the  United  States.  He  found 
time  to  prepare  many  addresses  on  educational  topics,  and  to  write 
valuable  articles. 

"Dr.  Bancroft  was  also,  during  the  whole  period  of  his  princi- 
palship,  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  having  charge  of  the 
Theological  Seminary  as  well  as  of  Phillips  Academy.  As  resident 
member  of  the  board  and  its  clerk  he  had  a  large  additional  respon- 
sibility, which  only  his  ceaseless  activity  and  his  genius  for  hard  work 
and  for  minute  details  enabled  him  to  meet. 

"Dr.  Bancroft  married,  May  6,  1867,  Miss  Frances  A.  Kittredge 
of  Mont  Vernon,  N.  H.  She  died  in  1898.  Four  children  survive, 
Mrs.  William  J.  Long  of  Stamford,  Conn.,  Cecil  K.  Bancroft,  in- 
structor in  Yale  University,  Phillips  Bancroft,  a  student  at  Yale  and 
Miss  Mary  E.  Bancroft,  a  student  at  Smith  College." 

Mrs.  Bancroft  was  the  daughter  of  Capt.  Timothy  Kittredge, 
and  was  a  pupil  of  Mr.  Bancroft  while  he  was  Principal  of  Apple- 
ton  Academy. 

Again  do  the  records  of  the  Trustees  fail  in  neglecting  to  record 
the  engagement  of  Mr.  Bancroft's  successor,  but  during  the  summer, 
a  committee  were  at  work  on  the  problem,  and  by  the  records  of  July 
17,  1865,  we  find  a  resolution  "expressing  appreciation  of  the  ser- 
vices of  our  worthy  Preceptor,  Mr.  Towle,"  and  a  desire  to  retain 
him  another  year,  and  he  was  pledged  cordial  co-operation,  and  $250 
in  addition  to  the  tuitions  for  the  year  ensuing — 1865-66.  This  was 
Charles  Augustus  Towle,  a  native  of  Epsom,  N.  H.,  born  June  20, 
1837,  fitted  for  college  at  Pembroke  Academy,  and  at  Pinkerton 
Academy,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1864,  was  principal  of  Apple- 
ton  Academy  at  Mont  Vernon  two  years,  1864-65  and  1865-66, 
studied  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  1866-68,  and  graduated  at 
Chicago  Theological  Seminary  in  1869,  ordained  pastor  of  the  Con- 
gregational church  at  Saudwich,  111.,  June  9,  1869,  and  remained 
there  until  187J  ;  pastor  of  the  church  at  South  Chicago,  1874-76; 
pastor  of  Bethany  church,  Chicago,  1877-82 ;  at  Monticello,  la., 
1882-86  ;  state  superintendent  for  Iowa  of  the  Congregational  Sunday 
school  and  Publishing  society,  1886-89,  residing  at  Cedar  Rapids 
18.S6-89,  and  at  Grinnell,  la.,  until  his  death,  February  22,   1899, 


142  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

aged  61  years,  8  months  and  2  days.  While  in  college  he  enlisted  for 
nine  months  in  the  15th  N.  H.  Volunteers.  He  was  married  Decem- 
ber 14,  1869,  to  Mary  Jane  Lay,  of  Chicago,  who  died  May  8,  1881. 
Was  married  again  August  30,  1894,  to.  Ella  Reinking  of  Des  Moines, 
la.,  who  survived  him,  with  three  sons  and  one  daughter, — a  mar- 
ried daughter  having  died  in  1896. 

Mr.  Towle  was  a  man  of  stalwart  physique,  aud  a  conscientious, 
hard-working  teacher  of  sterling  character.  There  are  no  catalogues 
of  his  day,  so  far  as  can  be  learned,  and  the  school  was  diminishing 
in  numbers.  He  had  two  lady  assistants,  one  being  Miss  Martha  E. 
Conant,  and  the  name  of  the  other  is  not  recalled. 

Joshua  V.  Smith,  a  graduate  of  Bowdoin  College,  succeeded  Mr. 
Towle  as  principal,  and  is  said  to  have  remained  two  years,  presum- 
ably 1866-67  and  1867-68.  The  only  entry  on  the  records  (and  this 
is  on  the  Treasurer's  book)  which  names  Mr.  Smith,  is  under  date  of 
June  25,  1868,  crediting  the  treasurer  with  a  payment  of  "820.64  to 
J.  V.  Smith."  There  is  no  record  of  any  meeting  of  the  Trustees 
between  July  17,  1865  and  March  23,  LS67. 

On  the  last  named  date  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  corporation 
"to  take  into  consideration  the  expediency  of  offering  the  use  of  the 
Academy  property  to  the  State  for  a  Normal  School;"  and  it  was 
unanimously  voted  "to  make  over  to  the  use  of  the  State  for  a  Nor- 
mal School  the  Academy  building  and  grounds,  with  library,  philo- 
sophical apparatus,  piano,  cabinet,  etc.,  so  long  as  the  Normal  School 
shall  be  continued  here." 

A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  communicate  the  action 
of  the  corporation  to  the  State  commissioner,  and  they  were  requested 
to  communicate  "what  action  the  Town  had  taken  relative  to  the 
establishment  of  a  Normal  School  here." 

The  town  had  begun  to  agitate  the  matter,  and  December  25, 
1866,  at  a  special  town  meeting,  it  was  voted  "to  instruct  the  Select- 
men to  cause  application  to  be  made  at  the  next  session  of  the  New 
Hampshire,  legislature  for  an  enabling  act  giving  to  the  town  of  Mont 
Vernon  power  to  raise  and  appropriate  money  to  aid  the  establishment 
of  a  State  Normal  School  in  said  town." 

It  was  further  voted  that  the  sum  which  might  be  raised  should 
be  $5000. 

Evidently  the  work  of  keeping  the  Academy  in  operation  was 
becoming  burdensome.  Conditions  which  have  since  almost  abolished 
the  country  academy  in  New  England  had  begun  to  come. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  143 

Nothing,  however,  was  done  under  the  vote  above  recorded,  and 
on  the  18th  of  August,  1868,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Trustees,  it  was 
voted,  as  a  means  of  broadening  the  interest  in  the  school,  "to  make 
some  addition  to  the  board  of  trustees  of  gentlemen  interested  in  the 
cause  of  education,  resident  among  us,"  and  Rev.  Dr.  Keeler,  Mr. 
Albert  Conant,  Mr.  William  Stevens,  Mr.  H.  II.  Bragg  and  Charles 
J.  Smith  were  unanimously  chosen.  These  must  have  been  consid- 
ered honorary  elections,  as  the  number  of  trustees  was  fixed. 

August  2-4,  1868,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  make  to  the 
coming  alumni  meeting,  to  be  holden  August  26,  some  statement  of 
the  present  conditions  of  the  institution  ;  aud  at  an  adjourned  meeting 
August  31,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  consider  a  proposition  of 
William  H.  and  Albert  Conant,  in  regard  to  a  boarding-house,  which 
proposition  is  stated  further  on. 

Meantime  Mr.  Smith  had  continued  at  the  head  of  the  school, 
which  could  hardly  have  been  counted  prosperous.  There  seem  to 
have  been  no  catalogues  issued,  and  nothing  further  put  on  record 
concerning  the  Academy. 

Sometime  in  the  summer  of  1868  there  was  a  determined  effort 
to  secure  a  fund  of  $5000  for  the  support  of  the  Academy.  A  sub- 
scription of  a  considerable  amount  was  made,  which  resulted,  in  the 
end,  in  action  at  the  meeting  of  the  alumni  as  thus  described  in  the 
Farmers'  Cabinet  containing  a  report  of  the  meeting : 

"  It  appeared  that  it  had  been  in  contemplation  for  some  time  to 
endeavor  to  do  something  toward  raising  a  fund  for  the  school,  and 
put  it  on  a  firm  foundation.  As  a  step  in  that  direction,  William  H. 
Conant  of  Mont  Vernon  and  Albert  Conant  of  Boston,  had  purchased 
the  Campbell  place  (the  old  Dr.  Kittredge  place)  which  they  proposed 
to  fit  up  for  a  boarding-house  for  the  school,  provided  a  fund  of 
$5000  could  be  raised.  In  a  brief  speech,  George  Stevens,  Esq.,  the. 
founder  of  the  school,  urged  energetic  action,  and  as  evidence  that 
his  heart  was  in  the  work,  booked  his  name  for  S500.  Mr.  Asa 
Stevens  of  New  York,  came  down  with  a  round  $1000;  and  Messrs. 
William  Stevens  and  F.  O.  Kittredge,  of  Mont  Vernon  followed  with 
subscriptions  of  $500  each.  Other  sums  varying  from  $25  to  $200 
were  subscribed,  and  at  the  close  of  the  dinner  the  sum  of  $4100.00 
was  pledged.  A  committee  of  ten  (five  ladies  and  five  gentlemen) 
was  appointed  to  solicit  further  donations,  and  it  is  hoped  that  the 
sum  will  be  raised  to  $10,000." 

The  original  subscription  paper  is  in  the  hand  writing  of  George 
Stevens,  and  is  as  follows : 


144 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


We  the  undersigned,  agree  to  give  our  several  notes  to  the  corpo- 
ration known  as  "Appleton  Academy,"  for  the  sums  set  against  our 
respective  names,  of  which  we  will  annually  pay  to  the  Trustees  of 
said  corporation  the  interest  for  the  use  of  said  Academy  located  in 
Mont  Vernon,  N.  II.,  and  for  the  support  of  a  school  therein,  and  the 
principal  thereof  we  agree  to  pay  in  ten  years  from  date.  These 
subscriptions  however  are  upon  the  express  condition  that  a  perma- 
nent fund  of  Five  Thousand  Dollars  at  least,  including  these  subscrip- 
tions, shall  be  raised  for  the  support  and  maintenance  of  said  school 
in  said  Academy,  of  which  fund  no  more  than  the  income  or  interest 
shall  ever  be  used  for  said  purpose. 


NAME. 

RESIDENCE. 

AMOUNT. 

Geo.  Stevens, 

Lowell, 

$  500 

Geo.  A.  Marden, 

Lowell, 

100 

Geo.  A.  Bruce, 

Boston, 

100 

T.  L.  Livermore, 

25 

Asa  Stevens, 

New  York, 

1000 

W.  Stevens, 

500 

T.  H.  Richardson, 

100 

C.  F.  Kittredge, 

100 

F.  0.  Kittredge. 

500 

H.  H.  Bragg, 

100 

John  Bruce, 

50 

Walter  S.  Conant, 

100 

H.  P.  Conant, 

200 

Augustus  Berry, 

25 

Chas.  F.  Stinson, 

25 

Henry  E.  Spalding, 

25 

J.  V.  Smith, 

100 

J.  E.  Bruce, 

Milford, 

50 

John  F.  Colby, 

100 

AV.  H.  Curtis^ 

50 

H.  C.  Shaw, 

25 

Mrs.  J.  J.  Phillips, 

100 

Geo.  E.  Dean, 

25 

A.  W.  Bragg, 

25 

Geo.  W.  Ordway, 

Chicago, 

25 

Geo.  W.  McColiom. 

100 

Chas.  E.  Conant, 

200 

Henry  A.  Kendall, 

100 

HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  145 

Andrew  Dutton,  100 

H.  Porter  Smith,  100 

Benj.  J.  Boutwell,  50 

Mrs.  Loveredge,  50 

D.  E.  Kittredge,  25 

Timothy  Kittredge,  500 

C.  F.  P.  Bancroft,  50 
Dated,  Sept.  1,  1868. 

The   subscriptions   were  not  in  cash,   but   notes,    which   were 
printed  as  follows  : 

APPLETON  ACADEMY. 

WHEREAS,  divers  persons,  of  whom  I  am  one,  have  agreed  with 
each  other  and  with  the  APPLETON  ACADEMY,  an  incorporated 
educational  institution,  located  in  Mont  Vernon,  in  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire,  to  give  and  to  pay  to  said  APPLETON  ACADEMY,  each 
a  certain  sum  of  money,  which  he  has  set  against  his  name  upon  a  paper 
of  subscriptions  signed  b}r  him,  and  which  is  named  in  the  note  hereon 
written,  in  ten  years  from  date,  with  interest  to  be  paid  annually,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  in  the  aggregate  a  fund  of  not  less  than  five 
thousand  dollars,  for  the  purposes  of  education  in  the  Academical 
School  of  said  body  corporate  ;  which  fund  is  to  be  managed  and  invested 
by  the  trustees  of  said  APPLETON  ACADEMY,  and  the  income 
thereof  and  no  more  ever  to  be  used  for  the  purpose  of  giving  education 
to  the  youth  of  both  sexes,  in  the  Latin,  Greek,  and  Modern  languages, 
and  also  in  the  various  branches  of  a  thorough  literary,  mathematical 
and  scientific  education  in  the  English  language; 

Now,  in  consideration  of  the  above  agreements  and  subscriptions, 
and  of  the  acceptance  hereof  by  said  APPLETON  ACADEMY,  and 
that  the  said  fund  shall  not  be  less  than  five  thousand  dollars,  I  hereby 
make  the  promissory  note  written  hereon,  the  proceeds  of  which  are  to 
be  used  in  the  manner  and  for  the  purposes  set  forth  above,  and  no 
other. 


Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  1st,  1868. 

Ten  years  after  date,  for  value  received,  I  promise  the  APPLE- 
TON  ACADEMY,  a  body  corporate,  located  in  Mont  Vernon,  in  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire,  to  pay  it  one  hundred  dollars,  with  interest 
at  the  rate  of  six  per  cent,  per  annum,  payable  annually. 


Of  these  notes  there  still  remain  "alive"  but  those  of  W.  H. 
and  A.  Conant  (81500),  and  John  F.  Colby  ($100)  on  which  the 
interest  has  been  regularly  collected  to  date.  Of  the  others  many 
were  paid  in  full,  or  "settled"  on  some  basis,  though  why  for  less 
than  their  face  does  not  appear.  There  still  remain  in  the  hands  of 
the  Treasurer  notes  amounting  to  $1200  on  which  interest  was  col- 


146  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

lected  only  a  few  years,  and  which  are  now  of  course  "outlawed," 
and  are  without  value,  even  where  the  makers  are  still  living. 

It  is  of  record  that  at  a  meeting  of  the  Trustees  August  31,  1868, 
it  was  voted  that  the  Secretary  be  instructed  to  write  to  Asa  Stevens 
of  New  York  and  George  Stevens  of  Lowell,  and  others,  expressing 
the  thanks  of  the  Trustees  for  their  generous  donations  to  the 
institution. 

The  Academy  was  now  "in  fund,"  if  not  "in  funds."  The  notes 
above  referred  to  were  mostly  dated  September  1,  1868,  and  at  once 
began  to  draw  interest.  It  might  have  been  expected  that  the  names 
of  William  H.  and  A.  Conant  would  have  appeared  in  the  list  of  note 
contributors  ;  but  they  two  had  purchased  the  old  Kittredge  or  Camp- 
bell place  (the  same  place  which  Mr.  George  Stevens  had  bought 
when  he  first  took  the  Academy)  and  had  agreed  to  give  it  to  the 
institution  for  a  boarding  house.  January  9,  1869,  at  a  meeting  of 
the  Trustees,  it  was  voted  : 

"That  if  W.  H.  and  Albert  Conant  shall  give  to  the  Appleton 
Academy  corporation  their  note  for  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  with 
interest  annually,  the  same  as  other  members  of  the  alumni,  that  they 
shall  be  released  from  all  obligation  in  regard  to  the  Campbell  Place, 
so-called,  as  a  boarding-house  for  the  Academy,  and  they  shall  have 
full  control  of  the  same,  this  sum  being  the  original  C03t  of  the  place." 

Under  date  of  June  25,  1869,  the  Treasurer's  book  records  the 
fund  account  as  consisting  of  the  Town  Note  (money  raised  by  the 
Ladies'  Circle,  and  loaned  to  the  Town)  $167.00.  Notes  on  hand,  as 
per  subscription  list,  $5225.00.  W.  H.  and  A.  Conant's  note  taken 
in  lieu  of  the  Campbell  place,  $1500.00.  There  was  a  small  note 
besides,  of  Deacon  J.  A.  Starrett,  of  $23.12,  and  the  total  fund  figured 
up  $6915.12.  The  Treasurer  added  ad  the  accrued  income,  during 
the  year,  making  a  total  of  $7369.22,  but  of  course  this  was  a  mixing 
of  fund  account  and  cash  account  not  quite  intelligible.  The  income 
at  6  per  cent,  which  was  the  legal  rate,  amounted,  however,  to  over 
four  hundred  dollars  a  year,  and  that  was  a  great  relief  to  the  over- 
burdened promoters  of  the  school. 

Still  the  Academy  was  languishing,  and  we  have  to  go  outside 
the  scrappy  records  of  the  board  to  gather  that  Mr.  Smith  left  at  the 
close  of  the  school  year  1867-68.  Nor  do  we  learn,  except  by  impli- 
cation, that  there  was  no  school  at  all  during  the  year  1868-69,  or 
what  was  doing,  if  anything,  during  that  year.  There  is  no  record 
of  the  engagement  of  Prof.  Lucien  Hunt  to  teach  for  the  year  begin- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  147 

ning  in  August,  1869,  but  in  the  Treasurer's  book,  under  date  of  May 
25,  1869,  it  is  stated  that  there  was  paid  to  Prof.  L.  Hunt,  to  date, 
&500.00;  and  tradition  says  that  he  was  principal  until  the  close  of 
the  school  year  1869-70.  His  assistants  were  Mr.  S.  A.  Holton  (af- 
terwards Principal  of  Lawrence  Academy,  Falmouth,  Mass.,)  Mr. 
A.   M.  Goodspeed  of  Falmouth,  and  Mrs.  Hunt. 

And  now  reappeared  the  scheme  to  get  the  s'ate  to  locate  its 
proposed  Normal  School  at  Mont  Vernon,  and  September  20,  1870, 
the  Trustees  held  a  meeting  to  consider  the  proposition  of  the  state 
for  a  Normal  School  location,  and  on  motion  of  Deacon  William 
Conant,  it  was  unanimously  voted — 

"That  the  Trustees  of  the  Appleton  Academy  offer  to  the  state 
the  use  of  all  the  property  belonging  to  the  corporation,  provided  the 
State  Normal  school  shall  be  located  in  this  place,  during  its  contin- 
uance here,  provided  the  state  shall  keep  the  buildings  and  other 
property  in  good  repair ;  "  also  voted — 

"That  the  Secretary  and  Rev.  Dr.  Keeler  be  a  committee  to 
write  to  the  different  donors  to  the  fund  of  the  Academy  to  obtain 
their  consent  to  allow  the  funds  to  be  used  in  aid  of  the  Normal 
school;"  also  voted  that  the  same  committee—  , 

"Make  out  a  statement  of  the  property  belonging  to  the  Acad- 
emy, and  offer  the  same  to  the  State.  Voted,  further,  that  the  same 
committee  take  measures  to  have  the  selectmen  of  the  Town  call  a 
town  meeting  to  see  if  the  Town  will  make  any  appropriation  for  the 
support  of  said  Normal  School." 

Again  we  learn,  from  sources  outside  the  records  of  the  Trustees, 
that  Mr.  D.  A.  Anderson,  a  Dartmouth  graduate,  was  the  principal 
of  the  school,  beginning  with  the  Fall  term  of  1870,  and  that  he 
remained  two  years,  with  very  moderate  success.  A  catalogue  was 
issued  in  November,  1871,  which  shows  that  the  Trustees  were  Dea. 
George  E.  Dean,  President;  Rev.  Seth  Keeler,  D.  D.,  Sylvanus 
Bunton,  M.  D.,  William  A.  Stinson,  William  Conant,  William 
Stevens,  Dea.  John  Bruce,  Thomas  H.  Richardson,  George  Stevens 
(honorary  member)  Lowell,  Mass.  ;  George  W.  McCollom  (honorary 
member)  New  York ;  William  H.  Conant,  secretary,  and  F.  O. 
Kittredge,  treasurer. 

The  instructors  were  D.  A.  Anderson,  A.  M.,  Principal ;  Miss 
Martha  E.  Conant,  Preceptress ;  Miss  Mary  C.  Mclntire,  assistant 
pupil;  Miss  Laurania  Smith,  teacher  of  music;  A.  F.  Newton, 
teacher  of  penmanship. 


148  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

There  was  one  in  the  graduating  class,  Frank  Richardson  of 
Milford.  There  were  seven  gentlemen  and  nine  ladies  in  the  classical 
department,  forty  gentlemen  and  twenty-five  ladies  in  the  English 
department,  and  there  were  in  all  twenty-eight  pupils  during  the 
winter  term,  twenty-eight  in  the  spring,  and  fifty-four  in  the  fall. 

The  catalogue  gives  the  information  that  ''the  discipline  of  the 
school  is  entrusted  to  the  Principal,"  and  that  "it  is  intended  to  be 
mild  but  efficient."  A  capacious  boarding-house  is  kept  by  William 
H.  Conant,  and  expenses  are :  tuition,  English  branches,  $5.00  a 
term;  languages,  $7.00;  music,  $10.00 ;  use  of  piano,  $2.00;  board 
per  week,  including  room-rent  and  washing  for  bed,  $3.50. 

Presumably,  this  catalogue  was  for  the  school  year  1870-71 — but 
this  is  only  a  guess.  It  may  have  been  for  a  part  of  the  two  years 
covered  by  Mr.  Anderson. 


CHAPTER  X. 


EDUCATIONAL  CONTINUED. 

McCollom  Institute  Succeeds  Appleton  Academy— Endowment 
by  Ggohge  W.  McCollom  of  New  York  — Charter  Amended 
— Mr.  Anderson's  Principalship — He  Served  both  Appleton 
Academy  and  McCollom  Institute — A  Liberal  Fund  Well 
Invested — George  W.  Todd  as  Principal — Great  Prosper- 
ity— Large  Classes  — Dissatisfaction  among  Donors  at 
Change  of  Name — Affects  the  "  Gratuity  Notes" — Why 
Prof.  Todd  Left — Principalship  of  W.  H.  Ray — Prof. 
Lucien  Hunt  (who  takes  the  school  a  second  time) — Hi- 
ram Q.  Ward — Cassius  S.  Campbell— Improvements  to 
Building  and  Apparatus— Oscar  S.  Davis  as  Principal — 
Prof.  J.  B.  Welch  Succeeds  Davis — The  Dean  Place  Bought 
for  Principal  to  Live  In — Trustees  Authorized  to  Hold 
More  Property — Trustees  Incorporated  and  Why — By-Laws 
of  New  Corporation — G.  W.  Cox  as  Principal — G.  S.  Cha- 
pin  Succeeds  Him — School  Suspended  for  Year  1900-1901 
— Building  Repaired — Rev.  H.  P.  Peck  Conducts  the  School 
for  the  Year  1901-1902 — The  Institute  as  a  Town  High 
School — Rev.  Mr.  Peck  and  Miss  A.  L.  Williams  Teachers 
— Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leslie  A.  Bailey  Succeed  Them — Then 
Prof.  Henry  W.   Delano— Triennial  Alumni  Reunions. 

Early  in  the  year,  1871,  George  W.  McCollom,  then  of  New 
York  City,  offered  to  the  Trustees,  as  a  permanent  endowment,  the 
sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  provided  that  they  would  cause  the  name 
to  be  changed  from  Appleton  Academy  to  that  of  McCollom  Academy, 
and  provided  further  that  the  town  of  Mont  Vernon  shuuld  for  five 
uccessive  years,  raise  and  pay  to  the  institution  the  sum  of  three 
hundred  dollars,  being  an  aggregate  amount  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars. 
The  conditions  were  complied  with,  and  now  for  thirty-four  years  the 
school  has  enjoyed  the  income  from  this  valuable  endowment.     Mr. 


150  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

McColIom  was  a  native  of  New  Boston,  but  came  with  his  parents  to 
Mont  Vernon  to  reside  in  early  life.  He  married  the  eldest  daughter 
of  Asa  and  Mary  A.  (Appleton)  Stevens  of  this  town.  She  died  in 
New  York  in  1865,  and  her  husband's  donation  was  intended  as  a 
grateful  memorial  of  her.  A  marble  tablet  placed  by  him  in  the  hall 
of  the  Institute  bears  this  inscription:  "Endowed  by  George  W. 
McColIom  in  memory  of  his  wife  Mary  Ann  S.  McColIom." 

Mr.  McColIom  died  in  New  York,  September  4th,  1878. 

Just  how  the  proposition  came  to  be  made  for  a  change  of  name 
of  Appleton  Academy  to  McColIom  Institute  does  not  appear ;  but  it 
was  probably  owing  to  a  suggestion  made  by  the  Treasurer,  William 
H.  Conant,  who  was  fertile  in  plans  for  securing  advantages  for  the 
school. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees  June  5,  1871,  it  was  voted  : 

"That  in  consideration  of  the  offer  of  George  W.  McColIom  of 
New  York  to  give  an  endowment  of  ten  thousand  dollars  if  the  name 
of  the  institution  shall  be  changed  from  Appleton  Academy  to 
McColIom  Academy,  that  the  trustees  comply  with  that  condition ;" 
and  also  voted : 

"That  Dea.  Bruce  and  Rev.  Dr.  Keeler  be  a  committee  to  carry 
out  the  above  vote  by  petitioning  the  Legislature  for  such  a  change 
of  name." 

The  Trustees  met  on  the  8th  of  June  to  hear  the  report,  and 
recommitted  it  for  the  petition  to  be  revised  and  amended,  and  for- 
warded to  the  Legislature  at  an  early  day. 

On  the  12th  of  June  the  Trustees  voted  that  when  the  name  is 
changed  it  be  called  McColIom  Institute,  provided  Mr.  McColIom  did 
not  object.  Whose  idea  this  was  does  not  appear,  but  it  was  a  most 
unfortunate  change,  and  the  name  "Institute"  has  been  a  constant 
burden  to  the  school  ever  since. 

The  name  of  the  institution  was  changed  to  McColIom  Institute 
by  the  following  act,  which  was  approved,  July  7,  1871  : 

STATE  OF  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy- 
one.  An  act  in  amendment  of  an  act  to  incorporate  the  Appleton 
Academy,  Mont  Vernon,  N.  H. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Court  convened. 

Section  1.  That  section  one  of  the  act  entitled  an  "Act  to  incorpo- 
rate the  Appleton  Academy"  be  amended  by  striking"   out    the    words 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERJNfON.  151 

"Appleton  Academy"  and  inserting-  instead  thereof  the  words  "McCollom 
Institute. " 

Section  2.  All  acts  or  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  with  this  act  are 
hereby  repealed,  and  this  act  shall  take  effect  from  and  after  its  passage. 

WILLIAM  H.  GOVE, 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
G.  W.  M.  PITMAN,  President  of  the  Senate. 
Approved  July  7th  A.  D.,  1871. 

JAMES  A.  WESTON,  Governor. 

Messrs.  F.  O.  Kittredge,  W.  H.  Conant  and  William  Stevens 
were  a  committee  to  ihank  Mr.  McCollom  for  his  generous  endow- 
ment, and  to  receive  and  invest  the  amount  as  a  fund  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Institute. 

Mr.  Anderson's  second  year  was  as  principal  of  the  "'McCollom 
Institute,"  and  the  Trustees,  being  now  well-to-do  financially, voted  him 
four  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars  in  addition  to  the  tuitions. 
The  Treasurer's  book  for  October,  1871,  shows  a  fund  amounting  to 
$17,206.87.  The  subscription  notes  contributed  in  1868  were  all 
paying  six  per  cent.,  and  one  of  the  halves  of  Mr.  McCollom's  endow- 
ment was  in  a  western  railroad  bond  which  paid  seven  per  cent.  The 
other  half  was  in  a  good  7  per  cent,  mortgage. 

In  the  spring  of  1872  a  proposition  was  made  to  enclose  the 
Academy  grounds  with  a  fence,  and  in  the  autumn  of  the  succeeding 
year  it  was  done.  It  was  not  many  years,  however,  before  the  com- 
munity were  as  anxious  to  get  rid  of  the  fence  as  they  had  been  to 
have  it  built. 

In  1872  George  AV.  Todd,  of  Rindge,  N.  H.,  became  the 
tenth  principal,  a  man  of  untiring  zeal,  great  executive  ability  and 
experience.  He  at  once  associated  with  himself,  as  classical  teacher, 
Rev.  Charles  P.  Mills,  an  accomplished  scholar,  a  graduate  of  Amherst 
College,  and  later  in  the  ministry  at  Newburyport,  Mass.,  and  serving 
afterward  with  distinction  in  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts.  Mr. 
Todd  held  the  office  of  principal  six  years,  retiring  in  1878.  His 
later  assistants  were  Messsrs.  F.  A.  Eldredge  and  G.  W.  Putnam, 
graduates  respectively  of  Harvard  and  Dartmouth. 

The  first  year,  Mr.  Todd  was  to  receive  from  the  fund  income  six 
hundred  dollars,  in  addition  to  the  tuitions,  and  the  Trustees  were  to 
pay  the  salary  of  Miss  Martha  E.  Conant  as  assistant,  but  Mr.  Todd 
was  to  pay  all  the  other  expenses  of  the  school. 

The  change  of  name  of  the  institution  gave  great  offence  to  some 
of  the  previous  benefactors  of  the  school,  and  the  interest  on  some  of 


152 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


the  subscription  notes  was  defaulted,  and  later  the  principal.  In  one 
or  two  instances  the  givers  of  the  notes  compromised  by  paying  a 
reduced  sum. 

Of  the  notes  given,  the  following  were  at  different  times  paid  in 
full  to  the  institution  : 

George  Stevens, 

George  A.  Marden, 

George  A.  Bruce, 

Thomas  L.  Livermore, 

William  Stevens, 

T.  H.  Richardson, 

II   H.  Bragg, 

John  Bruce, 

H.  P.  Conant 

Augustus  Berry, 

Henry  E    Spalding,  M.  D., 

J    V.  Smith, 

J.  E.  Bruce, 

George  E.  Dean, 

Alonzo  W.  Bragg, 

George  W.  Ordway, 

George  W.  McCollom, 

Charles  E.  Conant, 

Andrew  Dutton, 

Benjamin  J.  Bout  well, 

Mrs   Loveredge, 

Darwin  E.  Kittredge, 

Timothy  Kittredge, 

C.  F.  P.  Bancroft, 

Asa  Stevens's  note  for  $10( 

With  the  exception  of  the  note  of  W.  H.  &  A.  Conant  of  $1500, 
and  John  F.  Colby's  note  for  Si 00  (which  has  been  assumed  by  his 
son,  John  H.  Colby)  and  which  are  still  alive,  the  interest  having 
been  paid  up  to  date,  all  the  notes  given  in  1868,  not  paid,  as  shown 
above,  have  become  void  under  the  statute  of  limitations  This 
shows  $3375  collected,  and  Si 600  still  collectible— a  total  of  $4975. 
About  $1100  seems  to  have  defaulted. 

There  was  a  catalogue  issued  for  1873-74,  which  was  probably 
the  first  one  of  Mr.  Todd's  administration.  The  Trustees  of  McCol- 
lom Institute  at  this  time  were  Rev.  Seth  H.  K  eler,  D.  D.,  President, 


Lowell, 

$500.00 

u 

100.00 

Boston, 

100.00 

,  i 

25.00 

Mont  Vernon, 

500  00 

u 

100.00 

kk 

100.00 

kk 

50.00 

Boston, 

200.00 

Pelham, 

25  00 

Boston, 

25.00 

100.00 

Milford, 

50.00 

Mont  Vernon, 

25.00 

Boston, 

25.00 

Chicago, 

25.00 

New  York, 

100.00 

Boston, 

200.00 

kk 

100.00 

50.00 

New  York, 

50.00 

25.00 

Mont  Vernon, 

500.00 

Andover,  Mass., 

50.00 

(compromised), 

350  00 

HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  153 

Dea.  George  E.  Dean,  Sylvanus  Bunton,  M.  I)..  William  A.  Stinson, 
Dea.  William  Conant,  William  Stevens,  and  Thomas  H.  Richardson. 
George  W.  McCollom  of  New  York,  George  Stevens  of  Lowell,  and 
Albert  Conant  of  Boston  were  recorded  as  "Honorary  Trustees;" 
William  H.  Conant  was  Secretary,  and  Daniel  R.  Baker,  Treasurer. 
The  board  of  teachers  consisted  of  George  W.  Todd,  LL.  B., 
Principal.  Miss  Martha  E.  Conant,  First  Assistant,  Mrs.  George  W. 
Todd,  Second  Assistant,  Miss  Martha  Aldrich,  Assistant,  Spring 
term,  Miss  Emma  D.  Putnam,  Assistant  Pupil,  Winter  term,  Miss 
Laurania  Smith  and  Miss  Ellen  B.  Richardson,  teachers  of  music. 

The  summary  gives  twenty-four  gentlemen  and  twenty-two  ladies 
in  the  Classical  Department,  forty  gentlemen  and  twenty-nine  ladies 
in  the  Higher  English,  and  fifteen  gentlemen  and  six  ladies  in  the 
Common  English.  In  the  Fall  term  (1873)  the  total  number  of  pupils 
was  eighty-one,  in  the  Winter  (1873-74)  eighty-eight,  and  in  the 
Spring  (1874)  ninety-one. 

For  the  first  time  the  catalogue  is  adorned  with  a  lithographic  cut 
of  the  Academy  building,  which  shows  the  new  fence  which  had  been 
built  around  the  grounds. 

The  students  were  furnished  board  at  various  homes  in  the  vil- 
lage, and  Conant  Hall,  which  had  been  first  purchased  and  fitted  up 
and  presented  to  the  Trustees  for  a  boarding-house,  was  now  adver- 
tised as  a  place  where  pupils  could  engage  board  of  William  H. 
Conant,  who  had  become  its  proprietor,  and  who  also  conducted  it 
most  successfully  as  a  summer  boarding-house. 

The  catalogue  gives  other  information  as  to  the  Institute,  under 
its  new  career:  "The  average  age  of  students  here  is  18  years  and  4 
months — a  significant  fact,"  says  the  catalogue.  "The  prosperity  of 
this  school  for  the  past  two  years,"  it  goes  on,  "has  been  almost 
unparalleled,  having  risen  in  average  attendance  from  36  in  1871-72 
to  86  in  '73-'74." 

"The  Principal  has  taught  twenty-four  years,  and  is  engaged  for 
the  third  year,"  Mr.  Todd  having  begun  his  work  with  the  Fall  term 
of  1872. 

August  25,  1873,  the  Trustees  voted  Mr.  Todd  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  dollars  to  purchase  apparatus. 

October  30,  the  same  year,  the  Trustees  met  "to  consider  the 
matter  of  building  a  Hotel  in  accordance  with  a  vote  of  the  town  to 
appropriate  five  thousand  dollars  for  the  purpose."  A  committee  of 
five — Rev.  Dr.  Keeler,  W.  H.  Conant,  Daniel  R.  Baker,    William 


154  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Stevens,  and  Prof.  G.  W.  Todd — was  appointed  "to  prepare  a  sub- 
scription paper  and  solicit  funds  for  the  purpose." 

July  27,  1874,  the  Trustees  voted  to  offer  the  position  of  assistant 
the  coming  year,  to  Mr.  Charles  P.  Mills,  a  recent  graduate  of 
Amherst  College,  and  to  offer  him  two  hundred  and  fifty  doMars  per 
term,  it  being  a  proposition  of  Mr.  Todd  "to  pay  fifty  dollars  of  this 
amount  per  term,  provided  the  Trustees  would  in  some  way  raise  the 
balance." 

As  usual  there  is  no  record  that  the  committee  appointed  to  carry 
out  this  vote  ever  reported,  but  Mr.  Mills  came,  and  in  April,  1875, 
they  voted  to  endeavor  to  engage  Mr.  Mills  for  another  year  on  the 
same  terms.  This  was  done,  and  a  lack  of  boarding  places  was  made 
good  by  special  effort.  The  price  for  board  had  increased  like  every- 
thing else,  but  "including  room  and  washing  for  bed"  it  was  still  but 
three  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  week. 

In  April,  1876,  Mr.  Todd  was  engaged  for  the  school  year 
beginning  in  September,  he  to  furnish  all  the  assistance,  and  pay  all 
the  running  expenses,  and  to  receive,  in  addition  to  the  tuitions,  the 
sum  of  eight  hundred  dollars  from  the  Trustees. 

This  agreement  was  renewed  for  the  next  school  year,  (1877-78), 
at  the  close  of  which,  Mr.  Todd's  connection  with  the  school  ceased. 

Mr.  Todd  was  a  most  energetic  and  pushing  man,  and  the  school 
was  quite  prosperous  under  his  administration.  Mr.  Mills  proved  a 
most  valuable  assistant.  It  does  not  appear  who  succeeded  him,  but 
in  the  catalogue  for  1876-77  under  the  head  of  First  Assistant,  no 
name  appears,  but  the  words  "Best  man  and  ripest  scholar  that  can 
be  obtained."  In  this  catalogue  also  appears  the  name  of  Mrs.  S.  J. 
(Trevitt)  Bunton  as  "teacher  of  all  kinds  of  painting."  G.  L.  Adams 
was  teacher  of  penmanship. 

As  was  the  custom,  the  principal  of  the  Institute  was  usually 
elected  (when  he  would  accept  it)  as  Superintending  committee  of 
the  Town  schools.  Mr.  Todd  filled  this  position  several  of  the  years 
while  in  Mont  Vernon,  and  he  carried  the  same  energy  and  push  into 
his  administration  of  this  office  as  he  did  in  managing  McCollom 
Institute. 

In  his  last  report  to  the  town  as  Superintending  committee,  made 
in  the  spring  of  1878,  he  gives  a  brief  history  of  his  connection  with 
the  Institute,  which  was  thoroughly  characteristic,  and  which  contains 
the  reasons  why  he  left,  as  follows : 

"Nearly  six  years  ago  we  became  principal  of  this  school.    Before 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  155 

we  came  into  town  we  were  strongly  advised  not  to  come,  for  we 
could  not  succeed  without  much  expense  and  much  opposition  in 
various  forms.  But  not  afraid  of  soiled  clothes,  bare  hands  or  hard 
work,  we  went  to  work  with  high  hope  and  good  resolution.  We 
were  self-conceited  enough  to  think  we  knew  how  to  manage  a  school 
of  this  kind  successfully.  With  these  feelings  we  made  our  prepara- 
tions. The  first  year  the  school  was  small,  but  larger  than  for  some 
years  previous.  It  required  the  first  year  to  decide  the  people  whether 
we  were  capacious  enough  to  fill  the  place.  During  the  next  four 
years  (12  terms)  most  of  the  terms  numbered  eighty,  —  ranging  from 
that  to  one  hundred  and  two, — the  average  being  above  eighty  for  the 
whole  four  years.  To  keep  the  school  up  to  a  high  standard  we  have 
paid  out  (including  next  term)  $1650  for  assistance,  upwards  of 
Si 000  for  stationery,  postage  and  printers'  bills,  above  $700  for  fuel, 
and  $200  for  repairs  to  building  and  furniture,  improvement  of 
grounds  and  apparatus.  This  last  sum  we  have  mostly  raised  by 
Exhibitions.  During  these  four  years  we  claim  that  our  labors  have 
resulted  in  bringing  more  dollars  into  town  than  those  of  any  other 
man.  By  far  the  largest  portion  of  the  money  paid  us  here  has  been 
spent  and  in  this  town,  too,  when  we  could  obtain  what  we  needed, 
paying  above  $1000  over  the  counter  of  one  store  for  supplies,  and 
above  another  $1000  for  fuel  and  farm  products.  We  claim  also 
to  have  contributed  our  full  share  to  benevolent  objects  abroad,  to 
public  enterprises  at  home,  and  to  the  support  of  preaching  and  other 
religious  matters  in  town.  In  these  respects  conscience  does  not 
reprove  us  in  the  least. 

"Two  years  ago  at  this  time  the  school  reached  its  highest 
point.  For  a  good  while  about  that  time  we  heard,  and  heard  of, 
a  good  deal  of  talk  about  the  enormous  sum  of  money  we  were  making 
and  how  fast  we  were  getting  rich.  We  were  often  told  and  knew  as 
well,  that  we  had  reached  the  zenith  of  our  glory  here.  One  year  we 
paid  Mr.  Mills  $150,  the  next  year  $175.  The  retention  of  Mr.  Mills 
left  the  trustees  nearly  $300  in  debt. — Now  every  dollar  of  that  debt 
is  liquidated  by  reduction  of  our  income  during  these  last  two  years. 
It  is  admitted,  we  have  made  some  money ;  but  have  we  not  worked 
hard  for  it?  We  took  the  school  in  a  very  reduced  condition  and 
furnished  the  needful  to  raise  it  to  a  good  standing.  Surely  we  have 
a  right  to  reap  where  we  sow.  Honestly,  we  believe  the  net  income 
from  one  of  our  largest  boarding-houses  is  better  for  six  months  than 
is  ours  for  six  years.  We  mean  to  give  full  credit  for  what  the  town, 
the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  friends  have  done  for  the  school  and  for 
us.  We  feel  that  we  have  worked  faithfully  for  the  interests  of  the 
town,  the  Institute  and  the  public  schools,  and  the  varied  enterprises 
of  home  interest  since  we  have  been  a  citizen  of  the  town.  At  the 
close  of  the  Spring  term  we  are  to  dissolve  our  connection  with  the 
school,  trusting  as  the  rising  sun  eclipses  the  setting  sun,  and  the 
welcome  new  takes  the  place  of  the  departing  old,  the  school  will 
witness  a  return  of  patronage,  a  new  revival  of  interest,  a  new  and 


156  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

long  lease  of  prosperity.  It  has  had  a  season  of  remarkable  prosper- 
ity and  usefulness.  Twenty-four  have  graduated  the  last  three  years. 
Representatives  of  that  number  are  in  five  different  New  England 
colleges  now.  A  fair  sized  class  is  expected  to  graduate  next  term. 
We  do  not  take  this  step  because  we  feel  entirely  devoid  of  friends. 
Kinder-hearted,  more  obliging,  or  more  accommodating  neighbors  we 
never  had  and  never  desire  to  have  while  we  live.  Our  reasons  for 
this  step  are  various.  The  school  is  much  reduced  in  numbers. —  We 
do  not  feel  it  to  be  our  fault.  The  causes  are  various. — Some  out  of 
town,  and  in  town,  say  the  people  are  not  in  harmony  with  us, — some, 
that  the  Trustees  desire  this  step, — some,  that  our  politics  are  in  the 
way — but  most  say  it  is  the  'hard  times,'  little  business  and  less  money. 

"1st. — No  man  can  run  the  school,  as  a  scientific  and  classical 
school,  without  an  able  male  assistant.  Not  one  female  teacher  in  a 
thousand  could  fill  the  place  of  Messrs.  Mills,  Chapman,  Putnam  or 
Eldridge,  and  that  one  would  want,  and  could  command  as  good  pay 
as  either  of  them  had.  The  income,  with  present  patronage,  will  not 
meet  expenses.  We  can  not  lay  up  a  dollar  this  year  beyond  moder- 
ate day  wages  for  a  common  farm  laborer. 

"2nd. — Compared  with  two  years  ago  the  town  has  withdrawn 
above  40  per  cent,  of  its  patronage  this  year. 

"3rd. — We  are  well  acquainted  with  the  schools  of  this  town  and 
see  but  very  few  in  them  who  will  be  fitted  to  enter  the  Institute  for 
three  or  four  years  to  come. 

"4th. — A  good  many  of  our  patrons  are  slow  in  the  payment  of 
bills,  so  slow  that  we  have  twice  had  to  discount  notes  at  the  bank  to 
pay  our  assistants.  At  the  time  of  writing  we  hold  fifty  unpaid 
tuition  bills,  mostly  against  our  friends  in  town.  These  bills  vary  in 
time  from  a  few  weeks  to  three  years. 

"5th. — Not  to  attend  church  regularly  would  be  a  scandal.  To 
attend  is  to  suffer  for  the  next  day  or  two,  and  the  prospect  of  a 
better  state  of  things  very  soon  is  dim.     Smoke  is  bad  to  breaLhe. 

"Last  and  not  least. — We  need  release  and  rest  from  the  long 
and  constant  anxiety,  severe  labor,  continued  care  and  nervous  wear 
peculiarly  incident  upon  a  school  of  this  kind." 

Mr.  Todd  was  elected  to  the  New  Hampshire  State  Senate  from 
this  district  in  1879-80.  His  death  occurred  from  typhoid  pneumonia 
at  Norridgewock,  Maine,  where  he  had  just  gone  to  assume  the  posi- 
tion of  Master  of  the  High  School,  on  the  15th  of  April,  1884. 

William  H.  Ray,  a  Dartmouth  graduate,  succeeded  Mr.  Todd, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  Fall  term,  1878.  He  was  to  have  seven 
hundred  dollars  from  the  fund  income,  and  all  the  tuitions,  was  to 
furnish  a  competent  female  assistant,  and  pay  all  the  running  expenses 
of  the  school,  and  the  Trustees'  records  add ; 

"It  is  also  expected  that  he  will  remain  at  least  five  years." 


PROF.  LUCIEN  HUNT. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  157 

In  April,  1879,  the  length  of  the  Fall  and  Winter  terms  was  made 
thirteen  weeks  each,  and  the,  Spring  term  twelve  weeks,  thus  length- 
ening the  school  year  by  two  weeks.  Capt.  John  Trevitt  and  the  Rev. 
W.  H.  Woodwell,  the  latter  having  succeeded  the  Rev.  Dr.  Keeler  as 
pastor  of  the  church,  now  appear  on  the  list  of  Trustees,  though  no 
record  of  their  being  elected  is  found.  Daniel  R.  Baker,  Treasurer, 
having  died,  Capt.  John  Trevitt  was  chosen  in  his  place. 

Mr.  Ray  resigned  in  February,  1881,  to  take  effect  at  the  end  of 
the  school  year,  and  the  school  was  kept  through  by  Mr.  William 
Whiting  of  Dartmouth  College,  Mr.  Ray  going  to  a  position  in  the 
public  schools  in  Yonkers,  N.  Y. 

The  catalogue  for  1878-80  shows  that  Mr.  Ray  was  assisted  by 
Miss  Mary  A.  Loveland,  Miss  Ellen  F.  Conant,  Mr.  George  W. 
Putnam,  A.  B.,  and  Miss  W.  Farwell.  It  was  the  most  elaborate 
catalogue  ever  published  of  the  school,  and  contained  an  earnest 
appeal  for  an  addition  to  the  funds  and  equipment.  Mr.  Ray  was  an 
accomplished  teacher,  and  held  several  important  positions  after  he 
left  Yonkers,  being  finally  at  Hyde  Park,  111.,  a  suburb  of  Chicago, 
where  he  died. 

Mr.  Lucien  Hunt,  who  was  the  eighth  principal  in  1869-70,  was 
invited  to  return  and  take  charge  of  the  school  as  the  eleventh  prin- 
cipal after  Mr.  Ray's  last  year.  He  was  to  have  eight  hundred  dollars 
a  year  from  the  income  of  the  fund  for  two  years,  and  after  that 
seven  hundred  dollars.  He  was  to  have  all  the  tuition,  all  income 
from  any  use  of  the  hall,  and  was  to  pay  all  the  expenses  of  the 
school,  the  Trustees  to  keep  the  building  repaired.  The  Trustees  put 
this  declaration  on  record:  "We  hope  this  arrangement  will  be  so 
satisfactory  to  both  parties  that  it  will  be  a  permanent  one,  and  for 
the  lasting  benefit  of  the  institution." 

January  22,  1882,  the  board  chose  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter, 
president,  and  Prof.  Hunt,  a  member  of  the  board. 

Mr.  Hunt  was  a  most  excellent  teacher,  and  a  very  valuable  man 
for  the  social  as  well  as  material  interests  of  the  town  and  school. 
He  bore  an  active  part  in  everything,  and  was  much  esteemed.  His 
assistant  was  Mr.  Arthur  V.  Goss,  of  Chelsea,  Vt.,  a  Dartmouth 
graduate. 

The  hope  of  permanence,  however,  failed  again,  and  Prof.  Hunt 
declined  to  serve  longer  than  two  years. 

The  next  principal  was  Mr.  Hiram  Q.  Ward  of  St.  Johnsbury, 
Vt.,  a  Dartmouth  graduate.     He  remained  but  a  single  year.     His 


158  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

assistant  was  a  Miss  Doane.  The  school  seems  to  have  fallen  to  an 
average  of  about  thirty  pupils  each  term,  though  no  catalogues  were 
published. 

Mr.  Ward  was  to  have  seven  hundred  dollars  from  the  income  of 
the  fund,  the  three  hundred  dollars  appropriated  by  the  town  to  pay 
tuition  of  town  pupils,  all  tuitions  received  from  out  of  town  pupils, 
and  all  income  from  use  of  hall,  and  he  was  to  pay  all  expenses. 

Prof.  Hunt  remained  in  town  for  some  time  after  his  connection 
with  the  school  had  ceased,  and  was  active  on  the  board  of  Trustees. 
Mr.  Ward  was  succeeded  as  principal  by  Prof.  Cassius  S.  Campbell, 
Prof.  Hunt  having  presented  a  strong  endorsement  of  him  from  a 
friend  in  Hastings,  Minn.,  where  Mr.  Campbell  had  served  as  super- 
intendent of  schools  for  some  time.  He  was  born  in  Windham,  N. 
H.,  Nov.  19,  1845,  which  town  was  originally  a  part  of  Londonderry, 
and  his  first  paternal  ancestor  in  America  emigrated  from  London- 
derry, Ireland,  in  1733,  settling  in  the  New  Hampshire  town  of  the 
same  name. 

Cassius  fitted  for  college  at  Pinkerton  Academy,  and  graduated 
at  Dartmouth  in  the  class  of  1868,  and  at  once  became  superintend- 
ent of  schools  at  Hastings,  Minn.,  where  he  remained  for  ten  years. 
He  then  became  Principal  of  the  High  school  at  St.  Paul,  which  place 
he  held  for  five  years,  and  then  came  to  McCollom  Institute,  where 
he  did  as  good  work  as  the  school  had  ever  known ;  and  where  he 
remained  until  1888,  when  he  became  one  of  the  faculty  at  Pink- 
erton Academy,  where  he  remains  at  this  writing  (1906.) 

Mr.  Campbell's  forte  was  in  Physics,  Mathematics  and  the 
natural  sciences.  The  school  flourished  with  new  vigor  under  Prof. 
Campbell's  all-round  ability,  and  his  pervasive  energy  and  enthu- 
siasm. Everybody  liked  him,  and  his  rare  acquirements  and  ability 
made  a  lasting  impression.  Especially  did  he  set  about  putting  the 
school-building  and  its  equipment  in  order.  The  following  resume  of 
what  was  accomplished  during  his  term  of  service  was  furnished  by 
him  at  the  special  request  of  the  editor  of  this  history  : 

"The  condition  of  the  building  was  not  attractive  when  I  took 
possession  of  it.  The  basement  was  nearly  full  of  all  kinds  of 
rubbish  apparently  dating  from  its  erection,  and  was  used  by  the 
school  instead  of  outbuildings  without  any  provision  being  made 
therefor.  One  of  the  rooms  was  filled  to  the  ceiling  with  disabled 
settees  and  other  rubbish,  etc.,  etc.  Fortunately  the  wind  and  snow 
had  the  freedom  of  the  basement  so  that  the  health  of  the  school  did 
not  suffer  except  from  occasional  colds  through  the  winter.     A  cam- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  159 

paign  of  repairs  and  improvements  was  at  once  begun,  and  at  the  end 
of  my  four  years  the  building  was  clean  and  wholesome  throughout ; 
every  foot  of  plastering  in  it,  if  I  remember  rightly,  had  been  newly 
papered  by  Mr.  Mixer;  the  building  fully  equipped  with  new  stoves, 
lamps  and  automatic  electric  bells  for  the  school  programme;  an 
up-to-date  chemical  laboratory  and  other  apparatus  fully  equal  to  the 
demands  of  the  school ;  the  library  newly  arranged  and  a  new  catalogue 
made  and  printed ;  the  piazza  and  porte-cochere  built. 

"All  this  was  paid  for  primarily  out  of  my  pocket,  with  the  distinct 
understanding  that  the  Trustees  should  never  be  under  the  least 
obligation  to  make  up  to  me  any  deficiency  that  might  exist. 

"The  following  is  an  abstract  from  my  personal  account  of  the 
whole  matter : — 

Chemical  laboratory  and  apparatus,  $871 

Programme  clock,  Electric  bells,  Stoves  and  pipe.  Plumbing 

materials,  85 

Paint,  Paper,  Shades,  Desks,  Cases,  Carpet,  Glass,  Hard- 
ware and  Piazza,  629 


Trustees  of  McCollom  Institute, 

24  Lectures  and  School  Entertainments, 

Materials  sold  and  unsolicited  donations, 


$474 


"When  I  left  Mont  Vernon  I  took  with  me  the  three  principal 
pieces  of  apparatus  I  had  bought  and  the  Trustees  gave  me  a  check 
for  $435,  which  came  within  about  $125  of  balancing  the  account. 
This  was  abundantly  satisfactory  to  me,  and  if  it  was  not  satisfactory 
to  the  Trustees  it  was  their  own  fault." 

The  amount  which  Mr.  Campbell  was  to  receive  from  the  income 
of  the  fund  was  only  six  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars.  The  other 
conditions  were  substantially  as  with  his  predecessors. 

It  was  he  who  proposed  the  piazza  in  front  of  the  building,  and 
the  porte-cochere,  which  was  a  great  convenience,  and  the  Trustees 
voted  that  he  might  build  it  "at  his  pleasure,"  adding:  "the  under- 
standing is  that  he  will  not  hold  the  Trustees,  as  such,  responsible  for 
any  expense  that  may  be  incurred." 

At  this  same  time  the  following  significant  vote  was  passed  by 
the  board:  "That  Prof.  Campbell  may  allow  the  Academy  bell  to  be 
rung  only  for  one  hour  at  sunrise  and  sunset  on  July  Fourth,  and 
that  the  Trustees  will  prosecute  any  person  who  shall  break  into  or 
enter  the  building  at  night,  for  any  purpose." 


160  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

May  9,  1886,  the  Trustees  authorized  the  Treasurer  to  expend 
one  hundred  dollars  for  tables,  chemical  apparatus,  etc. 

Dr.  Frederick  H.  Chandler  having  come  into  town  as  a  practising 
physician,  he  was  at  this  time  elected  a  Trustee. 

Prof.  Campbell  carried  on  many  enterprises  to  raise  money  for 
improvements  and  apparatus  duriug  his  stay.  The  Trustees  seem  to 
have  thought  he  was  not  giving  quite  as  much  attention  to  the 
"classics"  and  some  "practical"  branches,  as  they  should  receive,  and 
suggested  certain  changes  in  this  regard.  But  Prof.  Campbell's 
administration  was  considered  almost  a  new  era  of  prosperity,  and 
when  he  resigned  to  accept  a  place  in  the  Pinkerton  faculty,  his  leav- 
ing was  very  much  regretted. 

August  3,  1888,  the  Trustees  accepted  Mr.  Campbell's  resigna- 
tion as  Principal,  and  that  of  Prof.  Lucien  Hunt  as  a  Trustee.  The 
matter  of  selecting  a  new  Principal  was  delegated  to  a  committee, 
and  Col.  William  H.  Stinson  was  elected  a  Trustee. 

August  11,  it  was  voted  to  engage  Mr.  Oscar  F.  Davis  of  Bellows 
Falls,  Vt.,  as  Principal,  on  same  conditions  as  previous  principals, 
except  that  the  amount  allowed  from  the  income  of  the  fund  was 
reduced  to  seven  hundred  dollars.  Mr.  Davis  was  a  graduate  of  the 
University  of  Vermont.  His  wife  was  his  assistant.  The  school  was 
fairly  prosperous.  He  remained  until  189 1,  when  he  resigned  to 
accept  the  position  of  the  head  of  an  important  educational  institution 
in  Salt  Lake  City. 

Mr.  Davis  afterward  entered  the  ministry,  and  was  for  some 
time  settled  at  Plymouth,  Mass.,  and  later  removed  to  Vermont.  He 
was  later  located  in  New  Richmond,  Wis. 

John  B.  Welch,  A.  M.,  a  veteran  teacher,  succeeded  Prof.  Davis 
in  1891.  He  was  a  native  of  Onondagua  County,  N.  Y.,  a  graduate 
of  Wesleyan  University,  Middletown,  Conn.,  and  had  been  teacher 
for  a  period  covering  twenty  years  at  Willimantic,  Conn.,  and  West- 
field  and  Pittsfield,  Mass.  Mrs.  Welch  was  his  assistant  the  first 
three  years,  and  the  last  year  George  S.  Chapin.  Prof.  Welch  was 
a  thorough  scholar  and  rigid  disciplinarian.  He  left  here  in  1895  to 
take  charge  of  Marmaduke  Military  Institute,  Sweet  Springs,  Mis- 
soui'i.  He  was  later  principal  of  a  preparatory  school  at  Columbia, 
Missouri,  for  Missouri  State  University. 

The  terms  under  which  Prof.  Welch  was  engaged  were  like  those 
of  former  principals,  except  that  the  amount  granted  him  from  the 
fund  income  was  increased  to  eight  hundred  dollars,  "for  the  first 
year  only." 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  161 

In  November,  1891,  Charles  H.  Raymond  and  Henry  F.  Dodge 
were  elected  Trustees,  and  Hon.  George  A.  Marden  of  Lowell,  Charles 
M.  Kittredge,  M.  D.,  of  Fishkill,  N.  Y.,  and  William  F.  Pinkham  of 
Mont  Vernon  were  chosen  honorary  members  of  the  board 

On  the  first  of  August,  1892,  Messrs.  Albert  Conant  and  W.  F. 
Pinkham  were  chosen  active  members  of  the  board,  and  the  latter 
was  chosen  President,  but  declined  to  serve. 

August  13,  1892,  the  Trustees  voted  "that  the  Trustees  hereby 
express  to  Prof.  Welch  their  confidence  in  him  as  a  competent  teacher, 
and  desire  that  he  will  remain  with  us  as  Principal  of  McCollom 
Institute  at  least  five  years  ;  and  if,  to  that  end,  he  will  purchase  or 
build  a  permanent  home  among  us,  they  will  loan  him  for  that  pur- 
pose a  reasonable  amount  on  mortgage  of  the  same  at  five  per  cent, 
per  annum ;  and  that  the  Clerk  forward  a  copy  of  this  vote  to  Prof. 
Welch." 

No  response  to  this  communication  is  on  record,  but  a  proposi- 
tion was  received  from  Mr.  W.  F.  Pinkham  who  had  some  time  before 
purchased  the  Dean  p'ace,  so-called,  to  sell  the  buildings  and  about 
one  acre  of  the  land  of  said  place  to  the  Trustees  "for  the  use  of 
the  Institution."  This  proposition  was  accepted,  and  the  property 
was  bought  for  two  thousand  dollars,  and  was  occupied  by  Prof. 
Welch  and  his  family  as  long  as  he  remained  Principal.  This  no 
doubt  accomplished  the  purpose  of  the  above-named  "proposition." 
Prof.  Welch  inaugurated,  in  his  new  home,  the  practice  of  taking  a 
few  boys  into  his  family  to  be  specially  instructed,  and  made  more 
of  an  income  than  any  previous  Principal.  Of  course  he  paid  a 
rental  for  the  Dean  place,  which  was  at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  dollars  per  year. 

The  changes  made  in  the  personnel  of  the  Trustees  are  not  all 
accounted  for  in  the  records.  At  the  beginning  of  the  school  year, 
August,  1894,  the  list  appears  as  follows:  F.  0.  Kittredge,  Clark 
Campbell,  Charles  H.  Raymond,  William  H.  Conant,  Albert  Conant, 
George  A.  Marden  and  John  H.  Colby.  It  was  voted  that  John  H. 
Colby  and  George  A.  Marden  be  a  committee  to  secure  a  new  charter 
for  the  corporation,  if  necessary,  and  take  measures  to  legalize  past 
acts  of  the  corporation.  This  was  to  enable  the  corporation  to  acquire 
more  real  estate  than  the  charter  already  allowed,  and  to  cover  any 
possible  illegality  in  the  methods  of  electing  Trustees. 

The  committee  referred  to  at  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature 
(1895)  secured  the  passage  of  the  following  act: 


162  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


CHAPTER  201. 

An  act  to  authorize  McCollom  Institute  to  acquire,  hold  and  convey 
real  estate,  and  receive  donations. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Court  convened. 

Section  1.  That  McCollom  Institute,  which  was  incorporated  by 
the  laws  of  1850,  chapter  1051,  under  the  name  of  Appleton  Academy  is 
hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to  acquire  by  purchase  or  otherwise 
suitable  buildings  for  academical  purposes,  and  may  hold  real  estate  to 
the  amount  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  the  same  may  sell,  convey  and 
dispose  of  at  pleasure,  and  may  receive  by  donation  or  otherwise 
personal  estate  to  the  amount  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  the  interest  of 
which  shall  be  expended  to  defray  the  expenses  of  said  academy. 

Section  2.  The  trustees  of  said  institute  shall  be  elected  annually 
and  shall  hold  their  office  until  their  successors  are  elected. 

Section  3.  The  acts  of  the  acting  trustees  heretofore  within  the 
scope  of  the  powers  of  actual  trustees  are  hereby  ratified  and  confirmed. 

Section  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage.  (Approved 
March  5,  1895. ) 

The  original  corporators  were  shareholders  in  the  original  build- 
ing, and  others  were  afterwards  voted  in  on  payment  of  a  certain  sum. 

Of  late  years  it  had  been  found  difficult  to  secure  the  attendance 
of  any  considerable  number  of  the  members  of  the  corporation  at  the 
animal  meeting,  and  accordingly  the  names  of  nearly  every  one  of 
them,  who  survived,  was  obtained  to  a  petition  to  the  Legislature  to 
have  the  Trustees  incorporated,  with  the  power  to  fill  vacancies,  in 
order  that  there  might  be  a  certain  perpetual,  definite  and  accessible 
body  to  hold  the  property  belonging  to  the  institution,  and  to  execute 
its  purposes. 

The  result  was  the  passage  of  the  following  act : 

STATE  OF  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven. 

An  act  to  incorporate  the  Trustees  of  McCollom  Institute. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Court  convened. 

Section  1.  William  H.  Conant,  Franklin  O.  Kittredge,  Clark 
Campbell,  Charles  H.  Raymond,  George  A.  Marden,  Albert  Conant  and 
John  H.  Colby,  and  their  successors,  are  hereby  made  a  corporation  by 
the  name  of  the  "Trustees  of  McCollom  Institute,"  for  the  purpose  of 
maintaining  a  school  in  the  town  of  Mont  Vernon,  with  all  the  powers 
and  privileges,  and  subject  to  all  the  duties,  restrictions  and  liabilities 
set  forth  in  all  general  laws,  which  now  are,  or  may  hereafter  be  in 
force  and  applicable  to  such  corporations. 

Section  2.  Said  corporation  shall  have  authority  to  receive,  hold 
and  manage  the  funds  and  property  now  held  by  McCollom  Institute, 
and  any  other  donations  or  bequests  which  may  be  made  for  its  benefit, 
and  may  hold,  for  the  purposes  aforesaid,  real  and  personal  estate  to  an 
amount  not  exceeding  One  Hundred  Thousand  Dollars. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  163 

SECTION  3.  The  said  Trustees  shall  have  the  power  to  adopt  such 
by-laws  as  may  be  useful  or  necessary,  with  authority  to  elect  one  of 
their  own  number  as  President,  also  a  Treasurer  and  a  Secretary  who 
may  or  may  not  be  members  of  the  corporation.  Whenever  a  vacancy 
shall  occur  in  the  Trustees  by  the  death,  resignation  or  disability  of  any 
member,  a  successor  shall  be  elected  by  the  remaining  Trusties,  who 
shall  thereby  become  a  member  of  the  corporation. 

Section  4.  All  the  acts  and  transactions  of  the  Trustees  acting 
under  supposed  authority  as  said  Trustees,  up  to  the  present  time,  are 
hereby  legalized  and  made  valid. 

Sfction  5.  The  purpose  of  this  act  is  to  continue  the  work  con- 
templated in  the  establishment  of  the  McCollom  Institute  under  Chap. 
1051  of  the  Laws  of  the  }-ear  1850  and  acts  amendatory  thereof  and 
additional  thereto. 

Section  6.     This  act  shall  take  effect  on  its  passage. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  corporation  under  the  act  above  quoted, 
was  called  by  George  A.  Marden,  the  President  of  the  old  Board, 
and  assembled  at  Institute  Hall  on  Wednesday,  September  8,  1897, 
at.  four  o'clock,  all  the  corporators  named  in  the  act  being  present. 

Mr.  Marderj  called  the  meeting  to  order,  and  read  the  act  of 
incorporation. 

Mr.  Colby  thereupon  presented  for  consideration  the  following 
by-laws,  which  were  unauimously  adopted  : 

TRUSTEES  OF  THE  McCOLLOM  INSTITUTE. 

BY-LAWS. 

Art.  1.  The  officers  of  this  Corporation  shall  be  a  President,  a 
Treasurer  and  a  Secretary,  all  of  whom  shall  be  members  thereof. 

Art.  2.  The  officers  of  this  Corporation  shall  be  elected  by  ballot 
each  year  at  the  annual  meeting,  to  hold  office  until  their  successors  are 
duly  elected. 

Art.  3.  The  annual  meeting,  after  1897,  shall  be  held  in  Mont 
Vernon  on  such  day  in  August  as  may  be  designated  by  the  President 
of  the  Corporation.  Special  meetings  may  be  called  by  the  President 
whenever  he  deems  it  necessar)7,  and  he  shall  call  a  special  meeting 
whenever  three  members  of  the  Corporation  shall  so  request  in  writing. 
Special  meetings  may  be  held  elsewhere  than  in  Mont  Vernon. 

Art.  4.  Notice  of  meetings  shall  be  given  either  b}T  personal  service 
on  each  member  bj'  the  Secretary  or  President,  or  by  mailing  notice  a 
sufficient  time  before  the  meeting  is  to  be  held. 

Art.  5.  The  Treasurer  shall  have  the  custody  of  all  the  funds  and 
securities  of  the  Corporation,  shall  collect  all  money  due  the  Corporation 
and  disburse  all  moneys  to  be  paid  out,  under  direction  of  the  President 
and  Secretary,  but  he  shall  make  no  permanent  change  of  investment  of 
an}T  money  in  the  funds  without  the  authority  of  the  board.  He  may  be 
required  to  give  such  bond  with  such  securities  as  the  board  may 
determine. 

Art.  6.  Four  members  of  the  board  of  trustees  may  be  a  quorum  to 
do  business. 

Art.  7.  Any  of  these  by-laws  may  be  suspended  or  amended  by  a 
three-fourths  vote. 


164  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

George  A.  Marden  was  then  elected  President  of  the  Corpora- 
tion by  ballot,  having  six  votes  -which  was  the  total  number  cast. 
Albert  Conant  was  in  like  manner  elected  Secretary  and  Treasurer, 
Deacon  William  H.  Conant,  who  had  for  many  years  served  the  old 
corporation  in  those  capacities,  declining  further  service. 

On  the  6th  of  February,  1895,  at  a  special  meeting  of  the  Trus- 
tees held  in  Boston,  it  was  voted  inexpedient  to  retain  Prof.  Welch 
another  year,  and  G.  Wilbert  Cox,  a  graduate  of  Harvard,  1895,  who 
had  been  graduated  from  Acadia  College,  Wolfeville,  N.  S.,  was 
hired  as  teacher,  remaining  here  three  years  ;  his  wife,  Mrs.  E.  D. 
Cox,  furnishing  such  assistance  as  he  required.  The  last  year  of  his 
residence  here,  he  supplied  the  pulpit  to  the  acceptance  of  the  church. 
He  was  a  patient,  faithful  and  laborious  teacher  much  beloved  by  the 
students.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  town  affairs  and  was  much 
respected  by  all.  He  left  here  in  1898  to  accept  a  more  lucrative 
position  of  Superintendent  of  Schools  at  Bellows  Falls,  Vt. 

He  was  succeeded  in  September,  1898,  by  George  S.  Chapin,  who 
was  an  assistant  under  Prof.  J.  B.  Welch,  a  graduate  of  Bowdoin 
(1893),  an  accomplished  scholar,  who  designed  to  pursue  teaching  as 
his  life  vocation. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  new  corporation,  September  8,  1897, 
it  was  voted  to  sell  the  Dean  place  so  called  to  Mrs.  Ellen  F.  Stinson 
for  two  thousand  dollars,  and  to  take  a  mortgage  for  that  amount  on 
the  place  at  five  per  cent,  the  taxes  to  be  paid  by  the  mortgagor.  Mrs. 
Stinson  either  managed  the  place  or  rented  it  season  by  season  as  a 
summer  boarding-house,  until  1905,  when  the  Trustees  again  came 
into  possession  through  a  deed  from  Mrs.  Stinson. 

Mr.  Chapin  remained  in  charge  of  the  school,  which  was  small  in 
numbers,  and  consisted  only  of  pupils  resident  in  the  town,  until  the 
end  of  the  school  year  of  1898-99. 

At  the  annual  meeting  August  25.  1900,  it  was  voted  to  put  the 
building  in  charge  of  a  janitor  "until  a  school  is  opened,"  and  though 
various  plans  for  op  ning  the  school  were  considered  with  some 
arrangement  between  the  towm  and  the  Trustees,  nothing  came  of 
them,  and  there  was  no  school  during  the  year  1900-'01. 

Extensive  repairs  were  made  on  the  building  during  the  inter- 
regnum, a  new  furnace  was  put  in,  and  the  premises  were  put  in  most 
excellent  condition,  which  used  up  a  good  portion  of  the  income  of 
the  fund  during  the  school  suspension. 

The  regular  triennial  alumni  meeting  was  due  to  have  occurred 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  165 

in  1899,  but  as  the  next  year  would  be  the  seuh-centennial  of  the 
founding  of  the  school,  it  was  voted  to  postpone  the  alumni  meeting 
till  1900. 

During  the  year  while  the  Institute  was  closed,  the  board  of 
education  of  the  town  undertook  to  provide  suitable  school  privileges 
for  the  town  pupils  who  would  have  attended  the  Institute,  and  the 
Trustees  voted  one  hundred  dollars  toward  paying  for  the  same. 

For  the  school  year  beginning  September  3,  1901,  an  arrange- 
ment was  made  with  the  Rev.  H.  P.  Peck,  pastor  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church,  to  conduct  the  school  in  connection  with  his  pastoral 
work,  he  to  act  as  Principal,  and  to  receive  live  hundred  dollars  from 
the  Trustees,  together  with  any  sum  appropriated  by  the  town  for 
the  Institute. 

And  Mr.  Peck  was  also  authorized  to  make  such  arrangements 
with  the  town  board  of  education  with  reference  to  the  joint  use  of 
the  Institute  building  by  such  of  the  town  schools  as  they  may 
mutually  agree  upon. 

June  28,  1902,  an  informal  conference  was  held  by  the  Trustees 
and  the  town  board  of  education  as  to  what  should  be  done  with  the 
school  the  coming  year.  The  arrangement  of  the  previous  year  had 
not  proved  satisfactory,  because  it  did  not  furnish  full  High  school 
privileges,  without  which,  approved  by  the  State  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction,  any  parent  might  send  a  child  competent  to  enter 
a  High  school,  to  any  High  school  in  the  state,  and  the  town  would 
have  to  pay  the  tuition  therefor.  There  was  an  animated  discussion, 
but  no  action. 

At  the  annual  meeting  held  August  16,  1902,  it  "was  voted  that 
owing  to  the  complete  and  long-continued  disability  of  W.  H. 
Conant,  which  rendered  him  incapable  of  performing  the  duties  as  a 
member  of  the  board,  this  position  was  .hereby  declared  vacant;  and 
a  highly  complimentary  resolution  to  the  retiring  member  was  passed. 

A  resolution  expressive  of  the  valued  services  of  F.  O.  Kittredge, 
one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Trustees,  who  had  recently  died, 
was  passed.  Dea.  William  H.  Kendall  and  Mr.  Willard  P.  Woods, 
both  residents  of  Mont  Vernon,  were  elected  to  fill  the  vacancies,  and 
on  the  organization  of  the  board,  Mr.  Marden  was  re-elected  Pres- 
ident, and  Mr.  Woods  Secretary. 

The  report  of  the  conference  between  the  town  school  board,  and 
the  Trustees  was  then  taken  up,  and  a  proposition  to  be  made  to  Rev. 


106  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Mr.  Peck  to  taka  the  school  another  year  was   read  and  discussed, 
but  no  final  action  was  taken. 

September  1,  1902,  a  plan  was  adopted  to  provide  such  a  curric- 
ulum and  such  instruction  as  should  meet  the  approval  of  the  State 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  and  required  by  law  for  a  High 
school.  This  plan  was  jointly  signed  by  the  Trustees  and  the  town 
board.  The  Trustees  were  to  pay  towards  the  expenses  five  hundred 
dollars  from  the  income  of  the  fund,  and  to  allow  the  use  of  the 
Institute  building  and  its  appurtenances.  The  town  was  to  pay  the 
two  hundred  dollars  appropriated  already,  and  to  use  its  best  endeav- 
ors to  secure  a  further  town  appropriation  of  three  hundred  dollars 
for  the  balance  of  the  year.  The  Trustees  were  to  hire  a  Principal 
and  an  Assistant,  satisfactory  to  the  town  board,  and  the  Assistant 
was  to  be  satisfactory  to  the  Principal.  The  balance  of  the  money, 
after  reserving  a  sufficient  amount  to  pay  for  heating,  lighting,  care 
and  school  supplies,  was  to  be  divided  between  the  Principal  and 
Assistant,  as  the  Trustees  might  deem  best.  If  tlie  town  should  fail 
to  appropriate  the  three  hundred  dollars,  then  the  school  was  to  be 
closed  after  as  many  weeks  as  the  money  provided  would  pay  for ; 
and  the  arrangement  was  to  last  but  one  school  year,  unless  renewed. 

A  course  of  study  was  made  up  from  suggestions  of  the  State 
Superintendent,  which  was  approved  by  him,  and  McCollom  Institute 
was  designated  as  an  institution  acceptable  as  a  High  school. 

Rev.  Mr.  Peck  was  engaged  as  Principal,  and  Miss  Annie  Louise 
Williams  of  Brattleboro,  Yt  ,  a  graduate  of  Brown  University,  as 
Assistant.  The  nine  hundred  dollars  remaining  after  the  expeuse  of 
care,  heating,  etc.  (which  was  fixed  at  one  hundred  dollars)  was 
divided  equally  between  the  Principal  and  Assistant. 

Miss  Williams  proved  a  teacher  of  rare  ability,  and  it  was  with 
regret  that  the  Trustees  received  her  declination  to  serve  another 
year,  which  she  offered  in  order  to  accept  a  better  position  in  the 
High  school  of  Whitefield. 

The  High  school  for  the  year  was  fairly  successful,  but  was 
under  the  disadvantage  of  so  large  a  number  of  classes  as  the  law 
required,  with  so  few  pupils — the  maximum  number  being  not  more 
than  twenty. 

The  triennial  meeting  of  the  alumni  for  1903  was  voted  by  the 
Trustees  to  be  held  on  the  5th  of  September,  in  connection  with  the 
annual  celebration  of  the  Old  Home  VYeek,  and  the  Centennial  anni- 
versary of  the  town,  for  which  arrangements  were  making. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  167 

Prof.  Leslie  A.  Bailey  and  his  wife,  of  Dresden,  Maine,  were 
engaged  as  Principal  and  Assistant  for  the  year  beginning  in  Septem- 
ber, 1903,  the  High  school  arrangement  being  continued  as  before. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bailey  remained  but  a  single  year,  he  resigning 
to  accept  a  school  in  Maine,  very  much  to  the  regret  of  the  Trustees. 

For  the  next  year,  1904-05,  Mr.  Henry  W.  Delano,  a  Dartmouth 
graduate,  and  a  resident  of  Marion,  Mass.,  was  secured  as  Principal, 
and  Clarence  H.  Hallowell,  M.  D.,  was  induced  to  act  as  Assist- 
ant. 

It  was  a  most  satisfactory  combination,  and  was  renewed  for  the 
succeeding  year.  Dr.  Hallowell,  however,  removed  from  town,  in 
January,  1906,  and  Prof.  Delano,  with  the  assistance  of  Miss  Annie 
Hazen,  an  advanced  pupil,  continued  the  school. 

Mr.  Delano  was  one  of  the  best  principals  the  school  has  ever 
known.  But  the  number  of  pupils  of  High  school  age  and  capacity 
had  now  become  reduced  to  eleven,  and  there  was  small  encourage- 
ment to  continue  the  school  as  a  High  school. 

For  some  years  the  permanent  population  of  the  town  had  been 
diminishing,  and  the  surrounding  towns,  also  growing  smaller,  were 
sending  their  children  to  High  schools  in  towns  which  were  large 
enough  to  support  them.  The  regular  fitting  schools  had,  by  their 
superior  advantages,  drawn  many  of  the  class  that  formerly  came  to 
Mont  Vernon,  and  McCollom  Institute  could  no  longer  compete  in 
the  work. 

REUNIONS  OF  ALUMNI. 

It  was  early  determined  that  it  would  be  pleasant  and  valuable 
for  those  who  had  been  pupils  at  Appleton  Academy  to  have  frequent 
reunion  meetings.  As  there  was  no  complete  and  formal  curriculum 
ending  with  graduation  by  classes,  every  pupil  who  attended  the 
school  was  accounted  as  an  alumnus.  It  is  a  great  pity  that  complete 
records  of  these  reunions  were  not  kept  and  deposited  in  the  Academy 
library.  But  from  the  files  of  the  Farmers'  Cabinet,  and  other 
sources  have  been  gleaned  a  considerable  number  of  facts  c  mcerning 
all  the  meetings  held. 

Beginning  in  1854,  reunions  were  as  follows,  generally  with 
a  regular  period  of  three  years  intervening,  but  not  always  : 

No.  1,  1854,  August  31. 

No.  2,  1857,  August  19. 


168  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

No.     3,  1859,  August  24. 

No.    4,  1862,  August  28. 

No.    5,  I860,  August  30. 

No.     6,  1868,  August  26. 

No.     7,  1872,  August  28. 

No.    8,  1875,  July  20,  (25th  Anniversary). 

No.     9,  1878,  August  28. 

No.  10,  1881,  August  24. 

No.  11,  1884,  August  27. 

No.  12,  1887,  August  24. 

No.  13,  1890,  August  21. 

Fo.  14,  1893,  August  23. 

No.  15,  1896,  August  19, 

No.  16,  1900,  August  15,  (50th  Anniversary). 

No.  17,  1903,  September  5,  (Town  Centennial). 

No.  1.  The  first  meeting  was  held  in  Academy  hall,  Aug.  31, 
1854,  beginning  at  10  a.  m.  George  A.  Ramsdell  was  chosen  pres- 
ident; Ainsworth  E.  Blunt,  vice  president;  George  Bowers,  of 
Hancock,  secretary;  John  D.  Nutter,  John  F.  Colby  and  H.  Perham 
were  marshals.  The  Amherst  Brass  Band  furnished  the  music.  As 
the  Cabinet  put  it,  "the  procession  proceeded  to  the  dinner  tables 
collocated  under  a  covert  of  verdant  bowers,  and  spread  with  the 
luxuries  of  a  prolific  season.  The  pastor  of  the  church,  Rev.  C.  D. 
Herbert,  asked  a  blessing.  Toasts  offered  by  the  alumni  called  out  a 
cheerful  and  pathetic  response  from  Rev.  Mr.  Colby,  Rev.  Mr. 
Herbert,  Mr.  King  and  others."  The  location  of  the  tables  is  not 
mentioned,  but  it  probably  was  just  above  the  Dr.  Kittredge  place, 
afterwards  Conant  Hall.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Colby  was  John  Colby,  one 
of  the  early  assistant  principals  of  the  school ;  and  the  Mr.  King  was 
Prof.  Fenner  E.  King,  the  third  regular  principal  after  the  school  was 
incorporated. 

When  the  dinner  was  over,  the  procession  was  reformed,  and 
returned  to  the  hall,  where  the  Rev.  John  Colby  delivered  an  address, 
his  subject  being  "Our  Influence  on  Others,  a  Stimulus  to  Right 
Action." 

There  was  a  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose,  consisting  of 
Prof.  King,  Mr.  Blunt  and  George  A.  Spalding,  who  reported  a  series 
of  resolutions,  which  were  adopted,  pledging  hearty  co-operation  with 
the  trustees,  teachers  and  parents  in  promoting  the  interests  of  the 
Academy,  declaring  their  gratitude  to  and  friendship  for  the  former 


OLD  MOUNT  VERNON  HOUSE. 
F.    O.    Kittredge,    Prop.      Burned. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  169 

teachers,  Mr.  Clough,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stevens,  Mr.  Colby  and  Miss 
Jaquith,  and  their  appreciation  of  the  work  of  the  trustees,  and  of  the 
citizens  of  Mont  Vernon.     The  second  resolution  was  as  follows : 

Resolved — That  we  tender  to  Hon.  William  Appleton,  of  Bos- 
ton, our  grateful  acknowledgments  for  the  liberality  manifested  in 
the  donation  of  our  Library,  and  the  generous  aid  afforded  in  the 
erection  and  establishment  of  the  Appleton  Academy 

After  some  responses  to  toasts,  the  meeting  adjourned  till  even- 
ing, when  a  pleasant  social  hour,  with  miscellaneous  entertainment 
of  speeches  and  singing,  was  enjoyed. 

No.  2.  The  second  alumni  meeting  was  held  August  26,  1857, 
at  half-past  ten  in  the  forenoon  in  Academy  hall.  The  names  of  the 
officers  are  not  given.  "Hundreds"  were  in  attendance,  and  the 
exercises  were  prayer  by  the  then  pastor,  Rev.  Charles  E.  Lord,  music 
by  the  Glee  Club,  and  an  oration  by  John  E.  Wheeler,  A.  B.,  of 
Amherst,  on  "Literature;"  a  poem  by  Dr.  George  E.  Bowers,  of 
Nashua,  on  '-Progress."  We  have  the  word  of  the  reporter  that  Mr. 
Wheeler's  address  was  one  of  "rare  excellence,"  and  that  Dentist 
Bowers's  poem  evinced  that  "its  author  possessed  much  taste  and 
cultivation." 

A  procession  was  formed  at  the  close  of  the  exercises  and 
marched  to  F.  O.  Kittredge's  Mount  Vernon  House,  where  dinner  was 
served  to  the  merry  crowd.  The  procession  then  returned  to  the  hall, 
where  the  Matrimonial  Statistics  were  read  by  A.  E.  Blunt  of  Dart- 
mouth College,  and  the  Obituary  Record  by  J.  F.  Colby  also  of 
Dartmouth  College.  A  toastmaster  was  chosen  and  the  "most  prom- 
inent members"  of -the  alumni  were  called  out.  After  singing  "Old 
Hundred,"  the  meeting  was  "adjourned  for  two  years." 

It  is  a  pity  the  reports  were  not  fuller.  It  would  be  interesting 
to  know  who  were  the  officers,  what  band  furnished  music  (if  they 
had  a  band)  and  why  they  adjourned  for  "two"  years,  instead  of 
three.     Perhaps  the  triennial  custom  had  not  then  been  adopted. 

No.  3.  The  third  meeting  was  held  August  24,  1859,  probably 
in  Academy  hall.  William  Barrett  presided,  the  oration  on  "Amuse- 
ments," was  by  George  A.  Ramsdell,  then  hailiugi  from  Peterboro ; 
and  the  poem  by  Aiusworth  E.  Blunt.  In  the  evening  there  was  a 
social  reunion  in  the  hall,  the  only  formality  recorded  bein^  the  read- 
ing of  an  ode  written  by  Eliza  Boutelle  of  Wilton. 

No.  4.  The  fourth  alumni  meeting  was  held  on  Thursday,  August 
28,  1862,  in  the  midst  of  the  time  of  the  Civil  war.     It  was  largely 


170  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

attended.  The  president  of  the  day  was  John  F.  Colby,  Esq.,  of 
Boston.  Rev.  Augustus  Berry,  of  Pelhara,  officiated  as  chaplain,  and 
William  Barrett,  then  practising  law  in  Nashua,  delivered  the 
address,  his  subject  being  "•Books;  their  Uses,  etc."  The  Poem  was 
by  J.  M.  Blood,  M.  D.,  then  of  Temple,  and  it  was  described  as 
'•amusing  and  sprightly,"  and  in  the  metre  of  Hiawatha.  TUe  Annals 
had  been  written  in  the  field,  in  Virginia,  and  in  the  hospital  after 
the  "Seven  Days  Plight,"  by  George  A.  Marden,  who  had  not  expected 
to  be  present  at  the  meeting,  but  it  so  happened  that  he  got  a  fur- 
lough just  in  time  to  appear  and  read  the  paper  himself.  The  toast- 
master  was  George  A.  Bruce,  then  engaged  in  recruiting  a  company 
for  the  Thirteenth  New  Hampshine  Volunteers.  The  Matrimonial 
Record  was  read  by  Frank  G.  Clark,  of  Lyndeborough,  and  the 
Obituary  notices  by  Charles  M.  Kittredge,  who  soon  after  was  com- 
missioned a  Second  Lieutenant  in  the  Thirteenth.  The  Ode  was 
written  by  Charles  F.  Kittredge,  who  also,  with  Clark  Campbell, 
officiated  as  Marshal,  and  they  formed  a  procession  of  the  alumni  at 
the  Academy  hall  where  the  exercises'  were  held,  and,  with  the  Newr 
Boston  Brass  band,  marched  to  Baker  &  Campbell's  hall,  where 
dinner  was  served.  Toasts  were  given,  and  responses  made  by  Dea. 
William  Conant,  Jonas  Hutchinson  and  Lieut.  George  A.  Marden, 
who,  after  serving  about  eight  months  as  a  private  and  non-commis- 
sioned officer  in  the  Berdan  U.  S.  Sharp-Shooters,  had  just  received  a 
commission  as  first  lieutenant. 

In  the  evening  there  was  a  social  reunion  at  the  Academy  hall, 
where  addresses  were  made  by  Rev.  Augustus  Berry  and  others. 

No.  5.  The  fifth  meeting  of  the  alumni  was  held  on  Wednesday, 
August  30,  1865,  the  number  attending  being  described  as  "unprec- 
edented." The  weather  was  delightful.  At  eleven  o'clock,  under  the 
marshalship  of  Clark  Campbell,  a  procession  was  formed  at  the  Mount 
Vernon  House,  with  the  Wilton  Cornet  Band  furnishing  the  music, 
and  proceeded  to  Academy  Hall,  which  had  been  elaborately  deco- 
rated for  the  occasion,  and  which  was  filled  to  overflowing.  William 
Barrett,  Esq.,  of  Nashua,  presided,  and  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev. 
John  E.  Wheeler.  John  F.  Colby,  Esq  ,  of  Boston,  delivered  the 
oration,  his  subject  being  "America  and  Her  Institutions."  George 
A.  Marden  read  the  poem.  A  Military  record  was  read  by  Prof. 
C.  F.  P.  Bancroft.  There  was  no  Matrimonial  or  Obituary 
record,  owing  to  some  oversight.  An  ode  was  sung,  written  by  Miss 
Mary  Frances  Perkins.     After  the  exercises  at  the  hall,  a  procession 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  171 

of  four  hundred  was  formed  aud  marched  to  the  Hiram  Perkins  grove, 
where  a  dinner  prepared  by  the  ladies  of  the  town  was  served. 
Harlan  P.  Conant,  of  Bo3ton,  was  loastmaster,  aud  responses  were 
made  by  George  Stevens,  Esq.,  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  Rev.  Augustus 
Berry,  of  Pelham,  aud  Dr  C.  F.  P.  Bancroft,  all  former  principals, 
Prof.  Charles  A.  Towle.  the  present  principal,  Capt.  George  A.  Bruce, 
Lieut.  George  A.  Mardeu,  Rev.  John  E.  Wheeler,  Gorge  A.  Rams- 
dell,  Jonas  Hutchinson  and  Dr.  J.  M.  Blood. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  exercises,  the  procession  marched  back 
to  the  village.  Iu  the  evening  the  hall  was  again  tilled  for  a  prome- 
nade concert  and  a  social  reunion.  The  Wilton  band  was  then  a 
crack  organization,  led  by  Carl  Krebs,  and  its  music  was  a  great 
attraction.  Miss  Agnes  Giles,  (since  Mrs.  Agnes  (Giles)  Spring, 
of  Boston,)  was  just  coming  into  notice  as  a  fine  contralto  singer, 
and  she  was  a  member  of  the  school.  Her  singing  added  much  to  the 
evening's  pleasure. 

Arrangements  were  made  for  the  next  Triennial  to  be  held  on 
the  last  Wednesday  in  August,  1868. 

No.  6.  The  sixth  triennial  occurred  at  the  Academy  Hall, 
Wednesday,  August  26,  1868.  The  Hall  was  beautifully  decorated 
with  bunting.  The  services  were  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Rev. 
Augustus  Berry,  of  Pelham,  a  former  principal.  William  H.  Towne, 
Esq.,  of  Boston,  presided,  and  gave  an  address  of  welcome,  Col. 
George  A.  Bruce,  of  Boston,  delivered  an  address  on  "American 
Culture,"  and  as  Mr.  George  B.  Buzell,  of  Portland,  Maine,  one  of 
the  earliest  alumni,  who  had  been  appointed  poet,  failed  to  appear, 
George  A.  Marden,  editor  of  the  Lou-ell  (Mass.)  Daily  Courier,  read 
a  poem  written  for  another  occasion,  in  his  stead.  The  Matrimonial 
Record  was  read  by  Maj.  Charles  F.  Stinson,  of  Charlestown,  and 
the  Obituary  Record  by  Henry  E.  Spalding,  M.  D.,  of  Hingham, 
Mass.  The  closing  ode  was  written  by  Miss  Ellen  C.  Sawtelle,  of 
Brookline. 

A  committee  of  five  was  chosen  to  make  arrangements  and  select 
officers  for  the  next  triennial. 

A  photograph  of  the  alumni,  assembled  in  front  of  the  Academy, 
was  taken,  after  which  the  multitude  marched  to  the  Mount  Vernon 
House  to  dinner.  After  "the  cloth  was  removed,"  John  F.  Colby, 
Esq.,  was  introduced  as  toast-master,  and  responses  were  made  by 
George  Stevens,  Rev  Augustus  Berry  and  Charles  A.  Towle,  former 
principals,  and  Rev.  John  Colby,  former  assistant,  J.  V.  Smith  the 


172  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

present  principal,  W.  H.  Conant,  George  A  Bruce,  George  A.  Mar- 
den,  Dr.  Henry  E.  Spalding,  Col.  Thomas  L.  Livermore,  and  Maj. 
Charles  F.  Stinson. 

The  music  for  this  gathering  was  by  the  Nashua  Cornet  band, 
E.  T.  Baldwin,  director,  which  gave  a  delightful  promenade  concert 
in  the  evening.  The  marshals  were  Col.  Thomas  L.  Livermore, 
Clark  Campbell,  and  Darwin  E.  Kittredge. 

No.  7.  The  next  meeting  of  the  alumni  was  held  in  the  meeting- 
house, Wednesday,  August  28,  1872.  The  weather  was  fine  and 
there  was  a  large  gathering.  The  morning  meeting  at  11  o'clock  saw 
a  church  filled  with  people.  Prayer  was  offered  by  the  Rev.  William 
H.  Cutler,  of  Westminster,  Mass.,  who  was  once  a  pupil  of  the  school 
from  Lowell,  Mass.  George  Stevens  presided,  and  made  an  address 
of  welcome.  Rev.  Augustus  Berry,  of  Pelham,  a  former  Principal, 
delivered  an  address  on  "What  education  do  the  masses  need,  and 
how  better  to  secure  it?"  Rev.  C.  F.  P.  Bancroft,  a  former  Principal, 
and  lately  from  Look-out  Mountain,  Tenn  ,  where  he  had  been  Prin- 
cipal of  a  successful  educational  institution,  read  a  poem.  The 
Annals  were  read  by  Chestina  A.  Hutchinson,  the  Matrimonial 
Record  by  Harlan  P.  Conant  of  Somerville,  Mass.,  and  the  Obituary 
Record  by  Mrs.  Ellen  J.  (Kittredge)  Drury,  of  Lowell,  Mass.  The 
Milford  Cornet  Band  furnished  music.  The  exercises  at  the  church 
closed  with  an  Ode  to  the  tune  of  "Auld  Lang  Syne'' — the  name  of 
the  author  not  being  given  in  the  report. 

The  alumni  then  marched  to  Academy  (now  Institute)  Hall 
where  dinner  was  served.  After  dinner  George  A.  Marden,  of  Low- 
ell, was  introduced  as  toast-master,  opening  with  a  brief  poem  of  his 
own  composition,  and  offering  tlie  successive  toasts  in  rhyme.  These 
were  responded  to  by  Rev.  Dr.  Seth  H.  Keeler,  then  pastor,  George 
A.  Ramsdell,  Esq.,  of  Nashua,  Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New 
Hampshire,  Rev.  Augustus  Berry,  Dea.  William  H.  Conant  (who  also 
read  letters  from  Rev.  John  E.  Wheeler  and  Rev.  Vaola  J.  Harts- 
horn,) George  A.  Bruce,  H.  P.  Conant.  Prof.  George  W.  Todd 
present  Principal,  just  beginning  his  first  term,  Rev.  W.  H.  Cutler, 
Prof.  Andrews  of  Boston,  A.  A.  Rotch,  junior  editor  of  the  Cabinet, 
and  Dr.  Bunton.  Prof.  J.  H.  Morey  of  Concord,  being  present, 
favored  the  alumni  with  some  most  delightful  music  on  the  piano.  The 
church  and  hall  were  profusely  decorated  with  the  national  colors. 

In  the  evening  the  usual  promenade  concert  was  given  by  the 
band,  with  additional  piano  music  by  Prof.  Morey,   and  the  singing 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  173 

of  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  by  Miss  Mary  Miller,  of  Salem,  an 
alumnus  of  the  school  noted  for  her  fine  voealism.  W.  II.  Conant, 
George  O.  Whiting,  Henry  T.  Stinson,  George  A.  Ramsdell  and 
George  A.  Marden  were  appointed  a  committee  of  arrangements  for 
the  next  triennial  and  twenty-fifth  anniversary,  to  be  held  in  1875. 

No.  8.  This  triennial  was  held  July  20,  1875,  in  celebration  of 
the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  Appleton  Academy  iu 
1850.  In  1871,  Mr.  George  W.  McCollom  of  New  York  City,  who 
was  once  a  resident  of  the  town,  and  whose  wife,  Mary  Ann  (Stevens) 
McCollom,  was  a  native,  gave  the  school  an  endowment  of  $10,000, 
in  consideration  of  which  its  name  was  changed  to  "McCollom  Insti- 
tute." Mrs.  McCollom  was  a  daughter  of  Asa  Stevens,  and  her 
mother  was  Mary  (Appleton)- Stevens,  who  was  a  sister  of  the  William 
Appleton,  for  whom  Appleton  Academy  was  named.  The  day  of 
celebration  was,  for  some  reason,  changed  from  Wednesday  to  Tues- 
day, and  the  month  from  August  to  July.  The  increased  importance 
of  the  quarter-centennial  anniversary  was  recognized  in  the  decora- 
tions on  the  village  street  and  the  "Institute"  (as  the  building  has  been 
called  since  the  change  of  name.)  On  the  outside,  in  large  letters  and 
figures  in  evergreen,  was  the  inscription  "1850 — WELCOME — 1875," 
and  the  hall  was  also  decorated  within,  as  was  also  the  Meeting-House, 
where  the  literary  exercises  were  held,  beginning  at  11  o'clock,  a.  m. 
The  excellent  Wilton  Cornet  Band  furnished  the  instrumental  music, 
during  the  day,  and  in  the  evening,  Curtis's  orchestra.  The  exercises 
were  opened  with  prayer  by  Rev.  Frank  G.  Clark,  of  Rindge,  a  native 
of  Lyndeboro,  and  a  graduate  of  the  school,  and  of  Amherst  College. 
George  A.  Ramsdell  was  President  of  the  day,  and  made  an  appro- 
priate welcome  address.  The  oration  was  by  Col.  Frank  W.  Parker, 
of  Quincy,  Mass.,  on  "New  England  Culture  and  its  Influences. "  The 
poem  was  by  Edward  E.  Parker,  Esq.,  of  Nashua.  Mr.  II.  Porter 
Smith,  a  merchant  of  Boston,  real  the  Annals,  giving  a  brief  histor- 
ical sketch  of  the  school  and  its  teachers.  The  Marriage  Record  was 
read  by  Henry  T.  Stinson,  and  the  Obituary  Record  by  Wendell  P. 
Marden.  The  closing  ode  was  written  by  Miss  Emily  (Dodge)  Simp- 
son, of  Lawrence,  Mass. 

Maj.  Nathan  B.  Boutwell,  an  officer  in  the  Boston  Custom  House, 
was  marshal,  and  under  his  direction  a  procession  was  formed  at  the 
close  of  the  exercises  in  the  meeting-house  and  marched  to  Institute 
Hall,  where  dinner  was  served  by  J.  II.  A.  Bruce,  the  then  land- 
lord  of    Hotel   Bellevue.     Over    the    platform   was    the    inscription 


174  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

"  '50 — ALL  HAIL- -'75",  while  the  walls  were  hung  with  flags,  pic- 
tures, mottoes,  etc.  Col.  George  A.  Bruce  officiated  as  toast-master, 
and  responses  were  made  by  Rev.  Dr.  S.  H.  Keeler,  then  pastor  at 
Mont  Vernon,  George  W.  McCollom,  of  New  York,  for  whom  the 
Institute  was  named,  Hon.  Lucien  B.  Clough,  the  first  principal  after 
the  school  was  incorporated,  William  Barrett,  Esq.,  of  Nashua,  Rev. 
F.  G.  Clark,  Rev.  Henry  Marden,  a  native  of  New  Boston,  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  school  and  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  a  Missionary  in 
Turkey,  who  was  home  on  a  leave  of  absence,  John  F.  Colby,  Dr. 

C.  M.  Kittredge,  of  Fishkill-on-the-Hudson,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  Augustus 
Berry,  of  Pelham,  Rev.  C.  F.  P.  Bancroft,  Principal  of  Phillips  Acad- 
emy of  Andover,  Mass.,  Prof.  Lucien  Hunt  of  Falmouth,  Mass.,  a 
former  Principal,  Rev.  Vaola  J.  Hartshorn  of  Hyannis,  Mass.,  Prof. 
George  W.  Todd  the  present  Principal,  Rev.  Darwin  E.  Adams  of 
Wilton,  a  grandson  of  Dr.  Daniel  Adams,  for  many  years  a  promi- 
nent physician  of  the  town,  Hon.  George  A.  Marden  of  Lowell, 
Mass.,  Clerk  of  the  Massachusetts  House  of  Representatives  and 
editor  of  the  Lowell  Daily  Courier,  George  W.  Putnam  of  Amherst, 
Rev.  Bezaleel  Smith  of  West  Hartford,  Vt.,  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Mont  Vernon  from  184'  to  1850,  and  Charles  H.  Hopkins,  an  under- 
graduate. 

This  long  list  of  speakers  did  not  allow  an  adjournment  until 
six  o'clock  p.  m.  Mr.  McCollom  was  honored  with  demonstrations  of 
great  appreciation  of  his  generous  endowment  of  the  Institute,  and 
he  gave  to  the  school  portraits  of  himself  and  his  departed  wife,  which 
were  hung  in  the  hall.  Of  the  ten  Principals  of  the  school,  six  were 
present :  Judge  Clough,  Rev.  A.   Berry,  Dr.  Bancroft,   Prof.   Hunt, 

D.  A.  Anderson  of  Newton,  N.  J.,  and  George  W.  Todd. 

In  the  evening  there  was  the  usual  promenade  concert  and  social 
reunion.  Resolutions  of  gratitude  to  Mr.  McCollom  were  passed, 
and  thanks  to  those  who  had  so  successfully  managed  the  celebration. 
There  was  singing  by  Maj.  N.  B.  Boutwell  and  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge. 
The  teachers  at  this  time  were  Prof.  Todd,  Charles  P.  Mills  and  Mrs. 
Todd,  and  there  were  ninety  pupils. 

No.  9.  This  reunion  was  held  on  Wednesday,  August  28, 
1878,  and  was  largely  attended.  Institute  Hall  was  handsomely  dec- 
orated, and  the  exercises  began  there  at  11  o'clock.  Music  was 
furnished  by  Curtis  &  White's  orchestra.  Hon.  George  A.  Bruce 
presided,  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Augustus  Berry,  Charles  P. 
Mills  of  Andover,  Mass.,  a  former  assistant  teacher,  delivered  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  175 

address,  and  Newton  H.  Wilson,  Goffstown,  the  poem.  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth (Boutwell)  Parkhurst,  of  Boston  read  some  happy  "Reminis- 
cences of  School  Life,"  the  Marriage  Record  was  by  William  II. 
Stinson,  of  Dunbarton,  and  the  Obituary  Record  by  George  W. 
Putnam,  of  Amherst.  The  ode  sung  was  written  by  Emma  F. 
Wyman,  of  Mont  Vernon. 

At  the  close  of  the  exercises,  Clark  Campbell,  as  chief  marshal, 
conducted  the  alumni  procession  to  Hotel  Bellevue,  where,  in  the 
orchard  in  rear  of  the  house,  tables  had  been  spread  for  the  dinner 
by  Landlord  J.  H.  A.  Bruce,  at  which  250  sat  down.  No  toast-master 
had  been  appointed,  but  the  President  of  the  day  officiated  in  the 
double  capacity,  and  drew  speeches  from  Hon.  George  A.  Ramsdell, 
Rev.  Dr.  Keeler,  of  Somerville,  Mass.,  who  spoke  in  behalf  of  Dea. 
William  Conant  (who  was  unable  to  be  at  the  dinner,)  Samuel  Hodg- 
kins,  Henry  Robinson,  George  A.  Maiden,  A.  A.  Rotch,  Rev.  A. 
Berry,  Rev.  W.  H.  Woodwell  (present  pastor,)  Dr.  George  Bowers, 
Col.  F.  W.  Parker,  Prof.  C.  P.  Mills,  Prof.  George  W.  Todd,  and 
Prof.  William  H.  Ray,  who  had  just  assumed  the  Principalship.  There 
was  singing  by  a  male  quartette,  led  by  Maj.  Boutwell.  The  sad 
news  was  received  that  Mr.  George  W.  McCollom  of  New  York,  had 
been  stricken  with  paralysis. 

In  the  evening  a  promenade  concert  was  held  at  Institute  Hall, 
and  appropriate  resolutions  relative  to  the  report  as  to  Mr.  McCollom 
were  adopted.  The  social  reunion  was  enjoyed  with  singing  and 
other  music,  and  the  reuuion  wound  up  with  dancing.  This  is  the 
first  record  of  any  dancing  at  one  of  these  reunions. 

No.  10.  The  tenth  reunion  was  held  Wednesday,  August  24, 
1881,  with  "an  unexpectedly  large  attendance."  Col.  Thomas  L. 
Livermore,  of  Manchester,  was  President  of  the  day.  The  alumni 
met  in  the  Meeting-house  at  10.30  in  the  forenoon,  and  prayer  was 
offered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Bancroft,  of  Andover,  Mass.  John  H.  Hardy, 
Esq.,  of  Boston,  delivered  an  address  on  "Freedom  of  Thought,"  and 
John  W.  Adams,  of  Littleton,  Mass.,  read  a  poem.  Henry  F.  Rob- 
inson, of  Hancock,  read  the  Matrimonial  Record,  and  Mrs.  Ann  A. 
(Perkins)  Campbell,  of  Mont  Vernon,  the  Obituary  Record.  The 
ode  sung  was  written  by  Miss  Lucia  E.  Trevitt.  Music  both  day 
and  evening  was  furnished  by  Nickles'  Orchestra  of  Milford.  It  is 
not  stated  in  the  report,  but  probably  these  exercises  were  held  in  the 
Meeting-house,  and  that  the  dinner,  which  was  served  to  300  persons 
by  George  E.  Boutell,  landlord  of  Hotel  Bellevue,   was   in   Institute 


176  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Hall.  The  after-dinner  speaking  (no  mention  being  made  of  a  toast- 
master)  was  participated  in  by  George  Stevens,  Esq..  of  Lowell, 
Mass.,  John  E.  Colby,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter  (then 
pastor),  George  A.  Marden,  of  Lowell,  Prof.  Lucien  Hunt,  Dr.  Ban- 
croft of  Andover,  and  Dr.  John  P.  Brown,  Supt.  Taunton  (Mass.) 
Insane  Hospital,  (who  married  Caroline  A.  Stevens,  sister  of  George 
Stevens.)     There  was  the  customary  social  reunion  in  the  evening. 

No  11.  This  reunion  was  held  Wednesday,  August  27,  1884, 
with  the  morning  exercises  in  the  church.  Hon.  George  A.  Marden, 
of  the  Lowell  Courier,  and  Speaker  of  the  Massachusetts  House  of 
Representatives,  was  President  of  the  Day.  Rev.  Charles  P.  Mills, 
of  Newburyport,  offered  prayer,  the  oration  was  by  Don.  Augustus 
E.  Sanderson,  of  New  Jersey,  one  of  the  early  graduates,  and  the 
poem  by  Mrs.  Emily  Dodge  Simpson,  of  New  York,  the  Marriage 
Record  by  George  W.  Putnam,  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  the  Obituary 
Record  by  Mrs.  Carrie  (Averill)  Trow,  of  Amherst.  This  record  was 
notable,  in  that  it  recorded  the  deaths  of  George  Stevens,  the  founder 
of  the  school,  Hon.  George  W.  Todd,  a  recent  principal,  and  Miss 
Martha  Ellen  Conant,  daughter  of  Dea.  William  Conant,  who  had 
been  for  several  terms  an  assistant  teacher.  The  exercises  closed 
with  the  singing  of  an  Ode  written  by  Alice  Hammond  Peaslee,  of 
Bradford.  Appropriate  memorial  addresses  on  the  several  teachers 
above  mentioned  were  read,  that  on  George  Stevens  by  H.  Porter 
Smith,  that  on  Prof.  Todd  by  G  W.  Putnam,  and  that  on  Miss 
Conant  by  Rev.  Mr    Berry. 

Dinner  was  served  to  as  many  as  Institute  Hall  would  hold,  and 
the  after-dinner  speakers  were  Hon.  George  W.  Sanderson,  of  Little- 
ton, Mass.,  who,  as  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Senate,  was 
asked  to  report  for  Hon.  George  A.  Bruce,  President  of  that  body, 
who  was  unable  to  be  present,  Hon.  A.  E.  Sanderson,  the  orator  of 
the  day,  and  brother  of  the  preceding  speaker,  Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter, 
Rev.  R.  R.  Meredith,  D.  I).,  pastor  of  the  Union  Congregational 
church,  Boston,  and  a  summer  resident  of  Mont  Vernon,  Rev.  A. 
Berry,  Prof.  Hunt,  Rev.  C.  P.  Mills  and  Prof.  C.  S.  Campbell,  who 
was  just  assuming  the  position  of  Principal. 

In  the  evening  the  social  reunion  was  furnished  with  instrumental 
music  by  Nickles'  Orchestra  of  Milford,  and  the  assembled  alumni 
and  friends  were  delighted  with  singing  by  Mi-.  Ludlow  Patton  o" 
New  York,  and  his  wife  Abby  (Hutchinson)  Patton,  the   soprano  of 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  177 

the  famous  Hutchinson  Family,  who  gave  a  number  of  the  old-time 
Hutchinson  songs. 

No.  12.  The  twelfth  reunion  was  held  Wednesday,  August  24, 
1887.  It  rained  when  the  alumni  gathered  in  the  church  at  11  o'clock, 
but  the  house  was  tilled.  Clark  Campbell  was  marshal.  Nickles' 
Orchestra  furnished  the  music,  Rev.  Dr.  Bancroft  officiated  as  Chap- 
lain, Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge  was  president,  and  Hon.  E.  Moody  Boynton, 
of  Newbury,  Mass.,  a  friend  of  several  prominent  members  of  the 
alumni,  delivered  the  address,  his  subject  being  "Our  Western 
Christian  Civilization,  the  product  of  three  forces — the  Teacher,  the 
Preacher,  and  the  Inventor."  The  poem  was  written  by  Henry  A. 
Kendall,  of  Somerville,  Mass.,  and  read  by  H.  Porter  Smith,  and  the 
Ode  by  Henrietta  N.  Hanford,  of  Dauville,  111.  The  Matrimonial 
Record  was  read  by  Henry  T.  Stinson,  of  Winchester,  Mass.,  and  the 
Obituary  Record  by  J.  B.  Twiss,  of  Jaffrey.  This  latter  recorded  the 
death  of  Dr.  J.  V.  Smith,  a  former  Principal,  at  Melrose,  Mass.,  also 
the  death  of  a  Trustee,  William  Stevens. 

Dinner  was  served  in  Institute  Hall.  Dr.  Kittredge  presided, 
and  the  speakers  were  Hon.  George  A.  Marden,  Prof.  Hunt,  Prof. 
Campbell,  John  F.  Colby,  Lucius  B.  Hutchinson  of  New  York  City, 
Dr.  W.  H.  Weston  of  New  York,  and  H.  P.  Smith.  Among  those 
present  was  F.  0.  Kittredge  of  West  Medford,  one  of  the  charter 
trustees.  The  reunion  closed  as  usual  with  a  social  gathering  in  the 
hall. 

No.  13.  The  fortieth  anniversary  and  the  regular  triennial 
reunion  were  held  on  Thursday,  August  21,  1890,  meeting  at  the 
church  at  10.30.  Eastman's  orchestra  of  Manchester  was  in 
attendance.  Hon.  George  A.  Ramsdell  of  Nashua  presided,  and 
Hon.  George  A.  Marden  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  Treasurer  and  Receiver 
General  of  Massachusetts,  delivered  an  address  on  "The  Relation 
between  the  Country  Academy  and  the  People  among  whom 
it  is  Located."  The  poem  was  "Reminiscences  of  School  Life,"  by 
Rev.  J.  P.  Mills  of  Michigan.  The  Matrimonial  Record  was  by  Alice 
P.  Campbell,  and  the  Obituary  Record  by  Charles  C.  Stinson,  of  Port- 
land, Me.  The  record  noted  the  following  deaths,  among  others, 
since  the  last  report :  John.  F.  Colby,  Boston  ;  Jesse  Hutchinson,  Bal- 
timore ;  William  Barrett,  St.  Paul ;  Rev.  Henry  Marden,  Turkey ; 
John  W.  Adams,  Littleton,  Mass.;  Dr.  J.  M.  Emerson,  Barnstead  ; 
Thomas  H.  Thorndike,  Pittsfield — all  early  graduates, 

Memorial    sketches    were    then    presented — on    Dea.     William 


178  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Conant,  by  Dr.  Bancroft;  on  John  F.  Colby,  Esq.,  by  H.  P.  Smith; 
on  Rev.  Henry  Marden,  by  Rev.  F.  G.  Clark;  on  Prof.  W.  H.  Ray, 
by  Miss  L.  E.  Trevitt.  An  ode  was  then  sung  which  was  written  by 
Dr.  H.  E.  Spalding  of  Boston. 

Dinner  was  then  served  in  Institute  Hall,  and  speeches  were 
made  by  Dea.  W.  H.  Conant,  Rev.  John  Thorpe,  (then  pastor),  E. 
B.  Gould,  Esq.,  Nashua,  Hon.  J.  P.  Bartlett,  Manchester,  Rev.  Frank 
G.  Clark,  Plymouth,  Dr.  William  H.  Weston,  New  York,  Rev.  A. 
Berry,  Mrs.  Berry,  Prof.  C.  S.  Campbell  of  Pinkerton  Academy, 
Derry,  Prof.  Oscar  F.  Davis  (present  principal),  Col.  W.  H.  Stin- 
sod,  Hon.  Charles  H.  Burns,  Wilton,  Hon.  George  A.  Marden,  John 
H.  Colby,  Esq.,  Boston,  H.  P.  Smith,  Lucius  B.  Hutchinson,  Rev. 
George  E.  Sanborne  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  a  former  pastor,  and  Maj. 

D.  E.  Proctor  of  Wilton. 

In  the  evening  there  was  the  usual  promenade  concert  and  social 
gathering  in  the  Hall. 

No.  14.  This  reunion  was  held  August  23,  1893.  The  morning 
exercises  were  in  the  Meeting-house  at  10.30.  H.  Porter  Smith  pre- 
sided, Rev.  John  Thorpe  was  chaplain.  Hon.  John  P.  Bartlett,  of 
Manchester,  delivered  the  oration  on  "The  Educational  System  of  our 
Country — its  Moulding  Influence  on  Character;"  the  poem  was  by 
Hon.  Edward  E.  Parker,  Judge  of  Probate,  Nashua;  the  Matrimonial 
Record  was  by  Mrs.  Fannie  (Dodge)  Clark,  of  Amherst;  the  Obituary 
Record  by  Clarence  Trow,  of  Amherst ;  and  the  ode  was  written  by 
Mrs.  Emma  F.  Abbott,  Wilton.  Music  was  by  Custer's  Grand 
Hotel  Orchestra. 

Memorial  sketches  were  read  by  Dr.  Bancroft,  on  Dea.  George 

E.  Dean,  Thomas  H.  Richardson,  and  Capt.  John  Trevitt,  three 
members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

Dinner  was  served  by  the  Ladies'  Home  Circle  in  Institute  Hall, 
and  the  after-dinner  speakers  were  Dea.  W.  H.  Conant,  Rev.  John 
Thorpe,  Dr.  W.  H.  Weston,  Judge  Bartlett,  Judge  Parker,  George  A. 
Marden,  F.  C.  McLaughlin  of  Somerville,  Mass.,  a  summer  boarder, 
John  H.  Colby,  and  Prof.  John  B.  Welch,  the  new  Principal. 

In  the  evening  Custer's  Orchestra  (from  the  Grand  Hotel  just 
opened)  gave  a  concert  in  the  Hall,  and  a  social  hour  was  enjoyed. 

No.  15.  The  date  of  this  reunion  was  August  19,  1896,  the 
exercises  being  in  the  church.  Dr.  W.  H.  Weston,  of  New  York  City, 
presided  ;  Rev.  C.  P.  Mills,  of  Newburyport,  was  chaplain  ;  Rev.  Frank 
G.  Clark,  of  Plymouth,  was  the  orator;  Miss  Lucia  E.  Trevitt  read 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  179 

the  poem;  the  Matrimonial  Record  was  by  Emily  C.  A.  Starrett,  of 
Mont  Vernon;  the  Obituary  Record  was  by  Hon.  A.  M.  Wilkins,  of 
Amherst;  and  the  ode  by  Jennie  B.  Carpenter,  of  Andover,  Mass. 

Dinner  was  served  in  Institute  Hall  by  the  Home  Circle.  The 
after-dinner  exercises  had  begun  most  merrily.  Mr.  F.  O.  Kittredge, 
the  venerable  and  only  surviving  original  Trustee,  had  been  honored 
with  great  applause.  Dea.  Albert  Conant  had  made  an  interesting 
speech  on  some  of  the  Institution's  financial  trials ;  Mr.  Willard  P. 
Woods  had  spoken  with  his  accustomed  energy  on  "The  relation  of 
the  Academy  to  the  Town;"  Rev.  Thomas  J.Lewis,  then  pastor,  had 
made  a  happy  speech  on  "The  Church  and  the  School;"  and  the  next 
speaker  was  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge  (or,  as  his  boyhood  familiars  knew 
him,  "Charlie  M.")  And  there  are  few  efforts  on  such  occasions  so 
happy,  bright,  cheerful  and  witty  as  his.  He  had  especial  delight  in 
recalling  boyish  pranks  and  incidents  with  his  old  chums,  and  told, 
with  great  glee,  and  with  evident  looking  forward  to  what  would  be 
said  in  reply,  by  his  especially  close  chum,  George  A.  Marden,  a 
story  of  the  time  when  they  played  pick-a-back  and  frightened  an  ox 
in  a  yoke  belonging  to  Hiram  Perkins  as  he  stood  chained  to  a  stake 
at  Capt.  "William  Bruce's  blacksmith  shop,  waiting  while  his  mate  was 
in  "the  swing"  being  shod,  and  so  disturbed  the  animal  that  he  flew 
around  and  broke  the  yoke.  As  the  Doctor  sat  down  amid  cheers 
and  laughter,  at  the  close  of  his  speech,  he  was  noticed  to  fall  back 
in  his  chair,  and  with  a  gurgle  in  his  throat  he  became  unconscious. 
Drs.  Dearborn  and  Weston  were  at  once  by  his  side,  and  he  was 
removed  to  the  lower  rooms,  where  he  died  almost  at  once.  The  lately 
merry  gathering  was  awe-stricken  at  the  sudden  calamity.  At  the 
suggestion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Mills,  two  verses  of  "Nearer,  My  God,  to 
Thee"  were  sung,  and,  when  this  had  been  done,  Dr.  Weston  returned 
to  the  presiding  officer's  chair,  and  said,  in  tremulous  voice,  to  the 
hushed  audience,  "the  Doctor  has  gone  from  us." 

Of  course  this  ended  the  alumni  reunion,  but  at  a  business  meet- 
ing held  later  L.  B.  Hutchinson  moved  that  Mr.  Marden,  Rev.  Mr. 
Mills  and  Prof.  George  W.  Cox,  the  incoming  new  principal,  be  a 
committee  to  frame  appropriate  resolutions  for  the  occasion,  which 
was  done,  and  they  were  adopted. 

No.  16.  This  triennial  reunion  was  due  to  have  been  held  in 
regular  course  in  1899.  But  as  the  year  l'JOO  would  be  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  it  was  postponed  a  year,  in  order  that  the  two  events 
might   come   together.      The    semi-centennial   celebration  was  held 


ISO  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Wednesday,  August  15,  1900.  This  was  also  the  first  day  of  the 
town's  celebration  of  "Old  Home  Week,"  and  the  reunion  and  semi- 
centennial were,  therefore,  made  a  part  of  the  town  celebration. 
The  exercises  were  held  in  the  new  meeting-house  for  the  first  time, 
and  began  at  half  past  ten  o'clock.  After  an  organ  prelude,  prayer 
was  offered  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bancroft,  Principal  of  Phillips  Academy, 
And  over,  an  address  followed  by  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden  of  Lowell, 
Assistant  United  States  Treasurer  at  Boston,  and  President  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees.  This  was  followed  by  a  duet,  uO  Salutaris,"  sung 
by  Mrs.  Browne,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Donald  Browne,  then  pastor  of  the 
church,  and  Mrs.  John  A.  Woods  of  Manchester.  An  able  historical 
address  was  then  delivered  by  Col.  Wm.  H.  Stinson  of  Dunbarton. 
The  Matrimonial  Record  was  by  Mrs.  Henry  F.  Robinson,  Hancock, 
and  was  followed  by  a  vocal  solo  by  Harry  M.  Kittredge,  of  Fishkill, 
N.  Y.,  son  of  the  late  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge.  The  Obituary  Record 
was  by  Edgar  J.  Kendall,  Esq.,  of  Milford,  and  the  Ode  was  written 
by  Geo.  A.  Marden. 

At  the  close  of  the  exercises  dinner  was  served  in  Institute  Hall, 
but  without  the  usual  after-dinner  formalities  and  speaking. 

In  the  evening  there  was  a  social  reunion  in  the  Town  Hall,  fol- 
lowed by  a  fine  concert  by  the  Tabasco  Banjo,  Mandolin  and  Guitar 
Club  of  Lowell,  with  singing  and  dancing. 

The  seventeenth  triennial  reunion  was  held  on  Saturday,  Sep- 
tember 15,  1903,  in  connection  with  the  celebration  of  Old  Home 
Week,  and  also  in  connection  with  the  centennial  celebration  of  the 
incorporation  of  the  town.  As  a  full  chapter  further  on  gives  a  re- 
port of  this  joint  celebration,  it  is  unnecessary  to  give  the  details  in 
this  place. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


OLD  HOME  WEEK. 

Establishment  in  1899  by  Gov.  Frank  W.  Rollins — Mont  Vernon 
First  Town  to  Respond — Elaborate  Preparations — The 
Governor  Attends — Three  Days'  Festivities — Illuminations, 
Fire  Works,  Sports,  Sunday  Services,  Etc. — Celebrations 
Every  Year  from  1899  to  Date  of  this  Histort. 

It  was  a  happy  thought  of  His  Excellency  Frank  W.  Rollins, 
Governor  of  New  Hampshire  in  1899,  to  issue  the  following  procla- 
mation, which  explains  itself : 

Old  Home  Week 

in 
New  Hampshire 
Aug.  26  to  Sept.  1,  1899. 
STATE   OF    NEW    HAMPSHIRE 
EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT. 

The  residents  of  New  Hampshire  have  conceived  the  idea  of 
celebrating  the  week  of  August  26  to  September  1  of  the  present 
year  as  "Old  Home  Week,"  and  of  inviting  every  person  who  ever 
resided  in  New  Hampshire,  and  the  descendants  of  former  residents, 
to  return  and  visit  the  scenes  of  their  youth  and  renew  acquaintance 
with  our  people. 

It  affords  me  pleasure  as  governor  of  New  Hampshire  to  extend 
this  invitation  in  behalf  of  our  people,  and  to  assure  those  who  may 
be  able  to  accept  that  they  will  receive  a  cordial  greeting  in  any 
section  of  the  Old  Granite  State. 

During  this  week  our  people  intend  to  keep  open  house,  and  the 
doors  of  our  hospitality  will  be  swung  wide  open.  A  large  number 
of  towns  and  cities  in  the  state  will  have  local  celebrations  during 
the  week,  to  which  all  are  cordially  invited. 

Old  Home  appeals  to  every  person  of  mature  years,  fath- 
er,   mother,    and    childhood,   and   when   you  think  of  the  old  home, 


182  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

you  bring  back  the  tenderest  memories  possessed  by  man  ;  true  love, 
perfect  faith,  holy  reverence,  high  ambitions  —  "the  long,  long 
thoughts  of  youth."  Few  states  have  furnished  more  men  and  women 
who  have  achieved  distinction  and  renown  than  New  Hampshire,  and 
our  people  hold  these  sons  and  daughters  in  high  regard,  In  behalf 
of  the  people  of  New  Hampshire,  I  heartily  invite  all  to  whom  New 
Hampshire  is  a  former  home  or  place  of  nativity,  to  visit  the  State 
during  Old  Home  Week. 

(Signed)  F.  W.  ROLLINS, 

Governor. 

Mont  Vernon  was  the  very  first  town  to  respond  to  the  Gov- 
ernor's summons,  and  as  an  initial  step  an  Old  Home  Week  Association 
was  formed,  with  the  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden  as  President,  and  Miss 
Ruth  S.  Conant  as  Secretary.  The  necessary  committees  were  ap- 
pointed, and  every  arrangement  was  made  for  a  first  celebration  of 
the  new  anniversary.  An  elaborate  invitation  was  prepared,  pub- 
lished in  the  newspapers,  and  sent  to  every  native  and  former  resident 
of  the  town,  whose  address  could  be  learned,  giving  the  details  of  the 
proposed  celebration,  which  was  to  begin  on  the  26th  of  August, 
1899,  and  to  contiuue  three  days.     This  invitation  was  as  follows  : 

TO  ANY  AND  ALL  WHO  HAVE  EVER  LIVED  AT  MONT 
VERNON,  N.  H. 

You  are  hereby  cordially  invited  to  come  back  to  the  old  place  to 
celebrate  "Old  Home  Week"  as  recommended  by  Governor  Rollins. 

The  local  celebration  will  begin  on  Saturday  Evening',  August  26, 
1899,  and  the  following  programme  will  be  carried  out  as  far  as 
possible: 

Saturday  Evening,  August  26.  Town  Social  at  the  Town  Hall. 
To  this  everybody  in  town  at  the  time  is  cordially  invited.  There  will 
be  an  informal  social  meeting  for  interchange  of  greetings,  to  be  fol- 
lowed by  dancing.  Good  music  will  be  in  attendance.  If  the  Town 
Hall  should  prove  inadequate,  Institute  Hall  will  also  be  thrown  open. 

A  Grand  Illumination  of  the  streets  and  houses  will  be  made  dur- 
ing the  evening,  and  a  huge  Bonfire  will  be  lighted  on  one  of  the  hills 
of  the  town  nearbj'. 

Sunday  Morning,  August  27.  There  will  be,  in  the  new  Meeting- 
House,  a  service  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  to  be  conducted  b3'  Clerg\r- 
men  who  have  either  been  settled  in  the  town  over  the  Congregational 
Church,  or  who  have  at  some  time  resided  in  the  town. 

Sunday  Evening,  August  27.  The  Evening  Service  will  be  con- 
ducted by  distinguished  laymen  who  have  been  residents  of  the  town. 

A  special  double  quartette  of  good  singers  will  furnish  music  for 
both  the  above  services. 

Monday,  August  28.  The  morning  will  be  devoted  to  rides  and 
walks,  golf,  bicycling,  tennis,  and  social  calls;  and  in  the  afternoon  a 
Basket  Town  Picnic  may  be  held  in  the  Splendid  Pine  Grove  near  the 
Grand  Hotel,  with  such  sports  and  entertainment  as  may  be  devised. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  183 

There  will  be  ample  accommodation  at  the  various  summer  boarding- 
houses,  and  at  private  houses,  for  all  who  desire,  and  at  very  reasonable 
rates.  Those  desiring- to  secure  rooms  and  meals  will  be  provided  by 
addressing-  Mr.  Will  P.  Woods,  Chairman  of  Entertainment  Committee. 
Come  back  to  the  old  hearthstone,  and  see  what  a  nice,  tidy,  at- 
tractive village  old  Mont  Vernon  has  become,  and  renew  old  associations, 
and  meet  old  friends. 

GEO.   A.   MARDEN, 
President  Old  Home  Week  Association  of  Mont  Vernon. 

Of  the  way  in  which  these  promises  were  carried  out,  the  follow- 
ing dispatch  to  the  Boston  Daily  Globe,  from  its  special  reporter, 
will  give  information : 

MT.  VERNON,  N.  H.,  Aug.  26,  1890.— The  "home  week"  cele- 
bration began  here  today,  under  the  happiest  auspices,  the  weather 
being  all  that  could  be  wished  for,  and  the  projectors  of  the  affair 
showing  notable  enthusiasm  in  the  enterprise. 

Already  it  is  evident  that  the  inhabitants  of  this  enterprising  and 
hustling  little  town  are  determined  to  make  their  celebration  the  most 
notable  one  ever  held  in  this  part  of  the  state. 

To  Mt.  Vernon  belongs  the  credit  of  having  the  first  "Home 
Week"  celebration  in  the  state.  The  hotels,  boarding-houses,  and 
private  residences  are  jammed  full  of  visiting  natives. 

Today  a  large  number  came  from  Boston  and  other  points  to 
join  in  the  week's  festivities.  The  fame  and  beaut\T  of  the  town  also 
brought  many  strangers,  who  have  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  occa- 
sion as  if  they  had  been  born  and  bred  in  the  granite  State. 

Earl}7  this  forenoon  the  people  began  to  decorate  their  estab- 
lishments, and  by  noon  almost  every  residence  and  other  building 
was  swathed  in  bunting  and  flags. 

Soon  after  sunset  hundreds  of  Japanese  lanterns,  which  adorned 
the  more  pretentious  residences  along  the  main  streets,  were  lighted. 
With  the  green  foliage  for  a  background  they  made  a  pretty  picture. 

Gov.  Rollins's  portrait,  garlanded  with  Hags  and  bunting,  was  to 
be  seen  as  a  part  of  the  decorations  on  several  public  buildings. 

By  8  o'clock  bonfires  and  fireworks  illuminated  the  town  and 
made  merry  the  crowds  that  perambulated  the  streets  until  midnight. 
Everyone,  practically,  kept  open  house.  At  9  the  town  hall  was 
opened  to  the  public,  and  then  the  "home  week"  committee  held  an 
informal  reception,  enlivened  by  music  furnished  by  the  Second  Regi- 
ment Band.     Dancing  was  indulged  in  until  midnight. 

The  most  elaborate  decorations  of  a  public  character  are  on  the 
town  hall,  school-house,  academy,  and  the  Grand,  Bellevue,  and 
Campbell  hotels. 

Private  displays  worthy  of  special  note,  many  of  them  made  by 
people  who  are  summer  residents  only,  are  given  by  Alderman  J.  H. 
Colby,  Capt.  E.  G.  Martin,  F.  0.  Kittredge,  A.  W.  Bragg,  Paul 
Stucklen,  all  of  Boston;  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden  of  Lowell,  Dr.  J.  P. 


184  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Brown  of  Taunton,  Hon.  H.  P.  Moulton  of  Salem,  Hon.  A.  H.  Well- 
man  of  Maiden,  J.  T.  Bridge  of  Medford,  J.  F.  Wellington  and 
A.  D.  Clark  of  Somerville,  Dr.  C.  F.  P.  Bancroft  of  Ando- 
ver,  and  the  following  local  residents :  Deacon  A.  Conant,  Mrs. 
Blood,  John  T.  McCollom,  Col.  Clark  Campbell,  G.  W.  Averill,  Rev. 
Donald  Browne.  Benjamin  F.  Davis,  W.  H.  Conant,  Mrs.  J.  A. 
Holt,  Lincoln  Hall,  W.  P.  Fox,  Dr.  W.  I.  Blanchard,  W.  H  Kendall 
&  Co.,  Mrs.  P.  F.  Pike,  George  D.  Pike,  the  Cutter  cottage,  Mrs. 
Fred  W.  Davis,  Mrs.  Maria  Bruce,  Walter  Woods,  Mrs.  O.  C.  White, 
Mrs.  William  Stevens,  W.  S.  A.  Starrett,  William  H.  Marvell,  J.  M. 
Gleason,  Joseph  W.  Averill,  W.  F.  Jenkins,  Frank  Smith. 

It  is  worth  while  to  go  a  little  more  into  detail  in  narrating  the 
story  of  these  celebrations  of  Old  Home  Week,  because  the  town  has 
not  been  much  given  to  celebrations  generally,  and  because  in  those 
which  have  been  held  in  connection  with  the  Academy,  and  Old  Home 
Week,  there  has  always  been  a  somewhat  remarkable  exuberance  and 
enthusiasm. 

On  Sunday,  Aug.  27,  the  second  day,  there  was  a  special  relig- 
ious service  in  the  morning  at  10.45  o'clock,  in  the  charming  little 
new  meeting-house,  every  seat  in  which  wras  occupied,  and  many 
chairs  in  addition  were  brought  in,  and  some  persons  even  had  to 
stand. 

The  service  began  with  an  organ  prelude  by  Mrs.  J.  F.  Choate 
of  Maiden,  a  summer  guest  in  the  town,  followed  by  the  singing  by  a 
double  quartette  of  "The  King  of  Love  My  Shepherd  Is,"  a  hymn  by 
the  congregation,  responsive  Scripture  readings,  Scripture  lessons, 
prayer,  and  a  selection  by  a  male  quartette,  "I  Cannot  Always  Trace 
the  Way."  An  offertory  followed,  and  then  came  an  able  Old  Home 
Week  discourse  by  the  Rev.  Donald  Browne,  pastor  of  the  church, 
dwelling  chiefly  on  the  duty  of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  New  Hamp- 
shire who  have  left  the  old  state  towards  the  home  from  which  they 
had  departed. 

Addresses  were  also  made  by  the  Rev.  Chas.  E.  Lord,  D.D., 
of  Newburyport,  Mass.,  who  was  pastor  of  the  church  from  1856  to 
1861,  and  by  Rev.  C.  F.  P.  Bancroft,  Ph.  D.,  Principal  of  Phillips 
Academy,  Andover,  Mass.,  who  was  Principal  of  Appleton  Academy 
in  this  town  from  1860  to  1864.  The  double  quartette  then  sang  a 
selection  entitled  "The  Homeland,"  the  congregation  sang  "America," 
and  the  morning  exercises  closed  with  the  benediction  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Bancroft. 

Governor  Rollins  did  not  arrive  in  town  until  4  o'clock  in  the 


SUMMER    HOUSE    OF    J.    FRANK    WELLINGTON. 
Erected  on   site  of  old  Dr.   Daniel   Adams  House. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  185 

afternoon,  when  he  became  the  guest  of  an  old  schoolmate  and 
townsman  of  his,  Walter  I.  Blanchard,  M.  D.,  the  medical  practi- 
tioner in  the  village. 

The  evening  exercises  were  denominated  ''A  Laymen's  Service," 
over  which  the  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden  presided,  and  made  an  open- 
ing address  of  welcome  to  those  who  had  returned  to  the  old  hearth- 
stones, and  congratulated  everybody  on  the  entire  success  of  the 
celebration,  due  to  the  hearty  interest  which  everybody  had  manifested 
in  carrying  it  on. 

Mr.  Marden  then  introduced  Governor  Rollins,  who  was  greeted 
with  great  enthusiasm.  The  handsome  little  church  had  been  appro- 
priately decorated  and  it  was  crowded  to  the  doors. 

The  governor  proceeded  to  make  a  plain  statement  of  facts,  as 
he  said.  He  said  that  New  Hampshire  had  been  a  farming  state  until 
fifty  years  ago,  when  the  great  west  began  to  compete  with  the 
farmers  of  New  England  and  rendered  farming  unprofitable.  Then 
came  the  manufacturing.  To  his  mind  no  country  can  be  prosperous 
without  a  happy  and  contented  yeomanry.  It  is  the  foundation  of 
civilization  and  good  government,  he  asserted.  He  spoke  of  the 
centralization  of  people  in  large  cities,  told  of  the  evils  springing 
from  the  crowding  of  people  into  cities,  and  pictured  how  much 
better  off  they  would  be  if  they  would  make  their  homes  in  the  coun- 
try instead  of  living  in  city  tenements. 

He  dwelt  upon  the  large  number  of  New  Hampshire  men  who 
had  taken  up  their  abode  in  other  states  of  the  union,  and  pointed 
out  what  they  had  accomplished  in  building  up  the  American  nation. 
He  expressed  the  hope  of  getting  some  of  them  back  to  their  native 
soil,  if  only  for  a  week  in  the  summer  time. 

Governor  Rollins  then  went  on  to  tell  the  people  what  was 
needed.  The  first  thing  that  should  be  done,  he  said,  was  to  build 
some  good  roads.  He  intended  to  see  that  a  start  was  made  in  this 
direction  before  he  went  out  of  office.  The  next  thing  was  to  protect 
the  forests  of  the  state,  he  said.  And  the  next  was  to  improve  the 
district  schools.  He  favored  state  supervision.  He  paid  a  warm 
tribute  to  the  state  grange,  and  told  how  much  it  was  doing  to  im- 
prove the  condition  of  New  Hampshire  farmers. 

He  said  that  he  was  very  much  pleased  with  the  way  the  people 
had  taken  hold  of  home  week,  and  that  it  was  sure  to  be  a  permanent 
feature  every  year  in  New  Hampshire.      He  especially  complimented 


186  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Mont  Vernon  on  its  celebration,  saying  that  outside  of  Concord's  cel- 
ebration Mont  Vernon's  was  by  far  the  best  held. 

Gov.  Rollins  was  followed  by  Hon.  George  A.  Bruce  of  Somer- 
ville,  Mass.,  a  native  of  the  town,  and  former  President  of  the 
Massachusetts  Senate.  He  made  an  eloquent  and  stirring  speech,  as 
did  Lucius  B.  Hutchinson  of  New  York  city,  another  native,  and 
Mr.  H.  Porter  Smith  of  Cambridge,  Mass. 

The  exercises  closed  by  appropriate  singing,  and  benediction 
by  the  pastor,  and  the  formal  home  week  celebration  so  far  as  Mont 
Vernon  was  concerned  was  over. 

The  exercises  on  Monday  were  mainly  informal,  the  visitors  en- 
joying themselves  in  any  way  which  seemed  good  to  them,  finding 
every  latchstring  out ;  and  in  the  evening  an  impromptu  reception 
was  given  the  Rev.  Benson  M.  Frink,  a  former  pastor  of  the  church, 
and  to  Mrs.  Frink,  they  having  arrived  in  town  during  the  day,  hav- 
ing been  unable  to  be  present  sooner. 

In  1900  the  second  Old  Home  Week  celebration  took  place,  in 
connection  with  the  semi-centennial  anniversary  of  the  incorporation 
of  Appleton  Academy.  As  before,  circular  invitations  were  sent  to 
everybody  whose  address  was  known.  The  Academy  anniversary 
was  celebrated  on  Wednesday,  Aug.  15,  and  on  the  next  day  there 
was  a  golf  tournament,  and  the  day  was  given  up  to  various  informal 
social  events.  On  Friday,  Aug.  17,  there  was  no  formal  exercise, 
but  a  good  many  people  had  arrived  in  town  and  were  enjoying 
themselves. 

On  Saturday,  Aug.  18,  the  Old  Home  Week  celebration  proper 
was  begun  with  a  Clam  Bake  in  the  beautiful  pine  grove  on  the  old 
Woodbury  (later  the  Hiram  Perkins)  farm,  owned  at  this  writing  by 
the  estate  of  Dr.  Chas.  M.  Kittredge.  It  was  a  delicious  summer 
day,  and  the  First  Regiment  Band  of  Boston,  a  crack  musical  organ 
ization,  furnished  most  delightful  music  at  the  grove.  About  5  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  Governor  Rollins  and  his  staff  arrived  in  a  tally-ho 
coach  with  four  horses,  driven  by  Hon.  John  A.  Spaulding  of  Nashua, 
who  owned  and  occupied  one  of  the  cottages  on  Prospect  Hill,  and 
an  experienced  whip.  The  gubernatorial  party  were  received  at  the 
Town  Hall  by  a  battalion  consisting  of  a  company  of  44  young  ladies 
in  white,  and  a  company  of  golf-players  and  caddies  armed  with  golf 
clubs,  commanded  by  Maj.  W.  I.  Blanchard,  M.  D.,  and  headed  by 
the  First  Regiment  Band.      The  party  thus  escorted  marched  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  187 

Golf  Links,  and  a  charming  dress-parade  was  held,  the  Governor  and 
his  party  reviewing  the  parade.  A  pretty  episode  occurred,  when  the 
parade  was  dismissed,  in  a  grand  rush  of  the  young  ladies  in  white 
surrounding  Governor  Rollins  and  his  staff  and  showering  them  with 
bouquets  of  Mowers. 

The  Governor  and  staff  then  took  supper  at  the  Grand  Hotel, 
and  in  the  evening  a  complete  illumination  of  the  village  occurred, 
and  there  was  a  parade,  led  by  the  caddies  and  the  young  ladies  in  a 
four-horse  barge,  with  other  vehicles,  and  with  the  band,  and  numerous 
banners,  which  made  the  tour  of  the  village,  preceded  by  a  band  con- 
cert on  the  Park.  Fireworks  closed  the  day,  outside,  and  a  fine 
ball  was  given  at  the  Grand  in  honor  of  the  distinguished  guests. 

Sunday  morning  a  special  Old  Home  Week  service  was  held  in 
the  new  meeting-house  with  a  sermon  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  Donald 
Browne,  and  with  special  music  fitted  to  the  occasion.  The  eveniug, 
as  last  year,  was  devoted  to  a  Laymen's  service  presided  over  by 
Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden.  There  was  singing  by  Col.  Coit  of  the  Gov- 
ernor's staff,  Mrs.  John  A.  Woods,  Miss  Kitty  Osgood,  and  Miss 
Gertrude  M.  Sewall.  Governor  Rollins  delivered  an  earnest  and 
eloquent  address  in  which  he  enlarged  on  the  practical  as  well  as 
sentimental  value  of  Old  Home  Week,  and  Michael  J.  Murray,  Esq., 
one  of  Boston's  finest  orators,  followed  in  an  address  of  rare  power. 

The  celebration  in  1901  occurred  on  Saturday  and  Sunday,  Au- 
gust 24  and  25.  The  Saturday  evening  illumination  and  out-door 
concert  were  interfered  with  by  a  heavy  rain,  but  the  First  Regiment 
Band  of  Nashua,  a  very  fine  organization,  gave  a  concert  in  the  Town 
Hall,  where  the  crowd  assembled,  and  passed  a  delightful  evening  in 
social  festivities. 

The  Sunday  morning  service  was  conducted  by  the  Rev.  Henry 
Porter  Peck,  who  had  succeeded  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church,  and 
who  preached  from  a  text  taken  from  the  103d  Psalm :  "How  shall 
we  sing  the  Lord's  song  in  a  strange  land?"  An  orchestra  from  the 
band  played  at  the  service,  and  a  charming  violin  solo  was  given  by 
Miss  Grace  Whitmore  of  Boston,  a  summer  guest.  The  band  gave  a 
sacred  concert  on  the  Park  toward  evening;  and  at  8  o'clock  the  now 
customary  Laymen's  service  was  held  in  the  meeting. house,  with  Mr. 
Marden  presiding,  the  orchestra  helping  out  the  music,  and  eloquent 
addresses  were  made  by  the  Hon.  Chas.  J.  Noyes,  former  Speaker  of 
the  Massachusetts  House  of  Representatives,  Hon.  Harrison  Hume, 


188  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

formerly  a  member  of  the  Maine  Senate,  and  Col.  J.  P.  Bradley,  and 
the  Hon.  Thomas  M.  Babson,  all  of  Boston,  and  the  last  two  summer 
residents  in  town. 

The  celebration  in  1902  occurred  on  Saturday  and  Sunday,  Au- 
gust 23  and  24.  The  afternoon  of  Saturday  was  devoted  to  a  grand 
coaching  parade,  which  was  organized  by  a  committee  headed  by 
Mr.?.  H.  P.  Peck.  Mr.  J.  F.  Wellington  served  as  Marshal,  with  ten 
aids.  There  were  nearly  thirty  entries  in  all  classes,  and  prize  banners 
were  awarded  by  a  committee  to  the  following : 

First  prize  for  Tally-ho  coaches  to  the  Hotel  Bellevue;  second, 
to  a  coach  entered  by  Col.  W.  B.  Rotch,  proprietor  of  the  Milford 
Cabinet. 

Double  Teams — First  prize  to  Mr.  J.  F.  Wellington ;  second  to 
Mr.  C.  E.  Osgood. 

Single  Teams — First  prize  to  Mrs.  R.  F.  Marden  and  Miss  Bessie 
B.  Hadley,  both  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  summer  guests. 

There  was  a  fine  illumination  in  the  evening,  and  very  profuse 
decoration  of  the  residences,  public  buildings  and  grounds.  The  First 
Regiment  Band  of  Nashua,  was  again  in  attendance,  and  gave  a  con- 
cert on  the  Park. 

The  Sunday  morning  service  was  conducted  by  Rev.  H.  P.  Peck, 
and  a  chorus  choir  of  sixteen  voices  furnished  the  music.  A  most  able 
and  impressive  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Resr.  A.  A.  Berle,  D.D  , 
of  Boston,  from  Exodus  iii  :6  :  "I  am  the  God  of  thy  fathers,  the 
God  of  Abraham;  the  God  of  Isaac;  the  God  of  Jacob."  At  the 
laymen's  service  in  the  evening,  presided  over  by  Mr.  Marden,  as 
usual,  a  masterly  address  was  delivered  by  the  Hon.  Chas.  H.  Burns 
of  Wilton. 

The  celebration  of  1903  was  held  in  connection  with  the  centen- 
nial celebration  of  the  incorporation  of  the  town,  and  an  account 
of  what  was  done  will  appear  in  a  later  chapter  devoted  to  the 
centennial. 

The  celebration  in  1904  occurred  on  Saturday  and  Sunday,  Au- 
gust 20  and  21,  but  a  heavy  rain  prevented  the  customary  illumination 
and  decorations  and  the  band  concert.  On  Friday  evening  there  had 
been  a  fine  musical  entertainment  at  the  Town  Hall  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Golf  Club  by  a  number  of  the  First  Corps  of  Cadets  of  Boston, 
and  a  quartette  of  their  number  had  been  engaged  to  remain  over  and 
furnish  music  in  the  church  at  the  Old  Home  Week  Sunday  services. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  189 

As  the  storm  prevented  the  carrying  out  of  the  out-door  plans  on 
Saturday,  the  Colonial  Quartette  (which  was  the  name  of  the  Cadet 
quartette)  volunteered,  with  several  of  the  members  outside  the  quar- 
tette, who  had  remained  in  town,  to  give  an  impromptu  entertainment 
on  Saturday  afternoon,  and  the  hall  was  well  filled,  and  those  present 
were  royally  entertained. 

Sunday  morning  was  perfect  as  to  weather.  Rev.  Henry  Porter 
Peck  preached  a  sermon  exactly  appropriate  to  the  anniversary,  and 
the  singiug  by  the  Cadets  made  as  complete  a  celebration  service  as 
could  have  been  asked  for.  In  the  evening  at  the  Laymen's  service 
Guy  A.  Ham,  P^sq.,  assistant  U.  S.  district  attorney  at  Boston,  de- 
livered an  eloquent  address,  and  there  were  other  brief  addresses, 
which  with  the  music,  concluded  the  exercises  of  the  sixth  Old  Home 
Week  celebration. 

The  seventh  annual  celebration  in  1905,  was  limited  to  Sunday, 
August  20,  so  far  as  the  official  exercises  were  concerned ;  but  some 
of  the  villagers  felt  that  there  ought  to  be  something  doing  on  Satur- 
day evening,  and  they  hired  the  Laurel  Band  of  Milford  to  come  up, 
and  there  was  quite  a  fine  illumination  of  many  of  the  residences  and 
grounds,  and  though  the  affair  was  virtually  impromptu  the  streets 
were  quite  full  of  pedestrians,  carriages  and  automobiles.  The  Golf 
Club  house  was  decorated  and  illuminated,  and  quite  an  elaborate 
display  of  fireworks  was  given  on  the  golf  links  in  front  of  the 
house. 

The  Sunday  services  were  conducted  by  the  Rev.  H.  P.  Peck, 
and  the  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Geo.  L.  Perin  of  Brook- 
line,  who  was  spending  the  summer  at  the  neighboring  town  of  Brook- 
line,  N.  H.  The  music  was  by  a  double  quartette.  The  church  was 
beautifully  decorated  with  clematis  and  golden  rod  by  the  young  lady 
guests  of  the  Mount  Vernon  house.  The  evening  Laymen's  service 
was  in  charge  of  John  H.  Colby,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  and  a  most  eloquent 
address  was  delivered  by  Solon  W.  Stevens,  Esq.,  of  Lowell,  Mass., 
a  member  of  the  Middlesex  County  bar,  supplemented  by  a  brief  and 
inspiring  talk  by  the  Rev.  Francis  H.  Rowley,  D.D.,  of  the  First 
Baptist  church  of  Boston. 

The  town  made  quite  a  reputation  by  these  observances  of  Gov. 
Rollins's  popular  celebration,  and  they  contributed  to  the  material 
advancement  of  the  town,  which  at  this  time  had  become  to  depend 
so  much  on  what  is  known  as  the  "summer  business,"  as  well  as  to 


190  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

the  enjoyment  of  both  its  permanent  residents  and  summer  guests. 
The  "sprucing  up"  of  the  village,  in  getting  ready  for  the  Old  Home 
Week  holiday,  led  to  permanent  village  improvement,  and  while  the 
village  had  always  been  noted  for  its  tidy  and  well-kept  condition,  its 
attractiveness  was  enhanced  by  these  special  efforts,  and  the  reports 
of  its  vivacious  observance  of  the  new  idea  were  spread  abroad  over 
the  country,  and  secured  for  it  a  valuable  interest. 

OTHER  CELEBRATIONS. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  people  of  the  town  were  much  given 
to  celebrations  before  the  days  of  the  Academy.  At  any  rate  the 
records  of  such  events  are  most  meagre. 

There  was  a  Fourth  of  July  celebration  in  1808,  but  there  is  no 
full  account  of  it  to  be  found.  There  is,  however,  a  printed  copy  of 
the  Oration  delivered  on  that  occasion  by  Dr.  Rogers  Smith.  It 
was  printed  at  Amherst  by  Joseph  Cushing,  and  on  the  title  page 
appears  this  quotation,  credited  to  Washington's  Legacy:  "Why 
quit  our  own,  to  stand  on  foreign  ground?"  William  Bradford,  John 
Carlton  and  Zephaniah  Kittredge  were  appointed  to  wait  on  the  Doc- 
tor and  "present  the  thanks  of  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  for 
his  ingenious  and  patriotic  oration,"  and  "to  request  the  favor  of  a 
copy  for  the  Press." 

To  this  the  orator  replied : 

"Gentlemen:  I  herewith  submit  the  copy  requested,  with  all  its 
imperfections,  to  your  disposal,  and  to  the  candor  of  the  public.  Per- 
mit me  to  express  the  high  sense  I  feel  of  the  honor  done  me  by  the  Com- 
mittee of  Arrangements,  and  of  the  flattering  terms  in  which  you  have 
been  pleased  to  communicate  their  request. 
"I  am,  Gentlemen, 

most  respectfully, 

your  sincere  friend, 

and  obliged  humble  servant, 
"R.   SMITH." 

The  address  was  quaint,  as  from  its  date  would  be  expected. 
It  was  but  the  thirty-second  anniversary  of  the  Declaration,  and  the 
orator  started  with  an  apology  that  he  was  "unused  to  public  decla- 
mation," and  "too  young  to  recollect  the  important  events  we  this 
day  celebrate."  But  he  was  old  enough  and  bold  enough  to  discuss 
"the  nature,  design  and  end  of  civil  government." 

The  writer  recalls  but  one  other  Fourth  of  July  celebration,  and 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  191 

that  was  in  the  late  forties  or  early  fifties,  and  took  the  shape  of  a 
Sunday  School  picnic  in  the  Hiram  Perkins  grove. 

An  account  of  the  celebration  by  the  republicans  of  the  election 
of  Abraham  Lincoln,  in  November,  18G0,  has  already  been  given. 

The  democrats  took  their  turn  at  celebrating  a  national  victory 
when  G rover  Cleveland  was  elected  President  a  second  time.  On  the 
21st  of  November,  1892,  the  democrats  had  a  grand  jubilee  at  Insti- 
tute Hall.  They  brought  the  old  Revolutionary  cannon,  "Molly 
Stark,"  from  New  Boston,  and  fired  a  hundred  guns  from  Campbell's 
hill.     The  village  was  more  or  less  illuminated. 

October  21,  1892,  Columbus  Day  was  celebrated  by  the  schools, 
it  being  the  400th  anniversary  of  the  discovery  of  America. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION. 

Three  Celebrations  in  One — The  Triennial  Alumni  Reunion — 
Old  Home  Week — The  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  the  In- 
corporation of  the  Town — An  Outline  Report  of  All  Three 
— Col.  Geo.  A.  Bruce's  Oration — H.  Porter  Smith's  Church 
Story — Reminiscences  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter. 

So  important  an  event  as  the  celebration  of  the  one  hundredth 
anniversary  of  the  incorporation  of  the  town  certainly  deserves  an 
important  place  in  the  town  history.  It  can  hardly  be  accomplished 
better  than  by  reproducing  most  of  the  contents  of  a  pamphlet  printed 
at  the  time  by  the  Milford  Cabinet,  which  Col.  W.  B.  Rotch,  pro- 
prietor of  that  journal,  himself  the  son  of  a  Mont  Vernon  ancestry, 
kindly  allowed  the  use  of  in  the  preparation  of  this  history. 

It  preserves  in  full  the  admirable  oration  of  Mont  Vernon's 
gifted  and  distinguished  son,  the  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Bruce,  the  most 
interesting  story  of  the  old  church,  and  the  personnel  of  its  congre- 
gations of  fifty  years  ago,  by  Mr.  H.  Porter  Smith,  the  son  of  one  of 
its  pastors  of  that  time,  and  appropriate  reminiscences  by  the  Rev. 
C.  C.  Carpenter,  who  once  occupied  its  pulpit. 

It  also  gives  a  brief  account  of  what  was  done,  as  well  as  said, 
at  the  celebration,  and  the  names  of  many  who  took  part  therein. 

STORY  OF  THE  CELEBRATION. 

The  exact  date  of  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  incorporation 
of  the  Town  of  Mont  Vernon  would  have  been  December  loth,  1903. 
But  in  a  hill  town,  away  from  the  railroad,  such  a  celebration  could 
not  be  conveniently  held  in  the  winter.  Besides,  it  was  deemed  best 
to  combine  with  the  centennial  celebration,  the  seventeenth  triennial 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  193 

reunion  of  the  Alumni  of  the  McCollom  Institute,  which  was  due  to 
be  held  this  year,  and  the  fifth  annual  observance  of  "Old  Home 
Week,"  which  had  been  postponed  from  August. 

At  the  annual  March  meeting  the  town  voted  an  appropriation 
of  $200.00  towards  the  centennial  celebration,  and  appointed  the  fol- 
lowing named  gentlemen  to  act  as  a  committee,  with  full  powers  to 
expend  this  money :  Dea.  W.  H.  Kendall,  Chas.  H.  Raymond,  Lucius 
B.  Hutchinson,  Frank  0.  Lamson,  and  lion.  Geo.  A.  Marden  of 
Lowell,  having  a  summer  residence  in  the  village.  All  the  committee, 
except  Mr.  Marden,  were  citizens  of  the  town. 

Messrs.  Kendall,  Raymond  and  Marden  being  members  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  McCollom  Institute,  and  Mr.  Marden  being 
President  of  the  Mont  Vernon  Old  Home  Week  Association,  it  was 
easy  to  secure  the  co-operation  of  both  these  organizations  in  a  triple 
celebration. 

The  necessary  sub-committes  were  appointed,  and  the  date  of  the 
celebration  was  fixed  on  September  5th  and  6th. 

Saturday,  September  5th,  opened  auspiciously,  and  the  celebra- 
tion began  at  sunrise,  with  the  ringing  of  the  bells  upon  the  Institute 
and  Town  Hall,  and  the  firing  of  a  national  salute  on  the  grounds  of 
the  Mont  Vernon  Golf  Club,  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  J.  Payson 
Bradley  of  Boston,  a  summer  resident  of  the  village,  a  former  com- 
mander of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  Company  of  Boston, 
and  a  veteran  of  the  Artillery  service  of  the  Civil  War.  Col.  Brad- 
ley had  brought  from  Boston  two  light  guns  from  his  yacht,  and  paid 
all  the  expense  of  the  salute,  which  was  also  repeated  at  sunset. 

Meanwhile,  the  Town  Hall  (the  old  Meeting  House),  the  new 
Meeting  House,  the  Institute  building,  and  the  district  school  house, 
together  with  practically  every  private  residence  in  the  village,  had 
been  profusely  decorated  with  the  national  colors,  wild  flowers  and 
other  adornments,  and  preparations  were  made  on  a  large  scale  for 
the  evening  illumination,  which  has  always  been  a  prominent  feature 
in  the  Old  Home  Week  celebrations. 

At  10  :  30  many  members  of  the  Alumni  of  McCollom  Institute 
(and  Appleton  Academy  as  it  used  to  be  named)  and  others  assem- 
bled in  the  new  Meeting  House  for  the  Triennial  Reunion.  The 
meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Mr.  W.  P.  Woods,  of  the  committee 
of  arrangements  appointed  three  years  ago,  and  H.  E.  Spaulding, 
M.  D.,  of  Boston,  was  introduced  as  President  of  the  Day.  Dr. 
Spaulding  made  a  brief  and  feeling  address  of  welcome,   after  which 


194  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

the  Triennial  Matrimonial  Record  was  read  by  Miss  Emily  Starrett 
of  Mont  Vernon,  and  the  Mortuary  Record  by  Mrs.  Fannie  Dodge 
Clarke  of  Amherst.  Instead  of  the  usual  formal  address,  brief  re- 
marks were  made  by  Gen.  A.  E.  Blunt  of  Wellesley,  Mass.;  Hon. 
Geo.  A.  Bruce,  Hon.  A.  M.  Wilkins  of  Amherst;  Levi  A.  Bruce, 
M.  D.,  of  Utica,  N.  Y.,  and  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden,  all  former  pupils 
of  the  institution,  Messrs.  G.  A.  Bruce,  Blunt  and  Marden  having 
been  members  of  the  earliest  class  in  Appleton  Academy.  The 
speakers  were  all  fluent  in  happy  reminiscence,  and  a  very  lively 
meeting  was  enjoyed. 

During  the  exercises  the  Schubert  Quartette  of  Boston,  and  the 
First  Infantry  Band  of  Nashua,  arrived,  and  the  Quartette  sang 
several  selections,  and  the  Band  played  under  the  trees  in  front  of 
the  meeting  house. 

At  12:30  an  abundant  dinner  was  served  in  the  dining-room 
under  the  Town  Hall,  by  the  Ladies'  Home  Circle,  to  such  as  desired, 
at  the  price  of  fifty  cents.  The  band  entertained  the  crowd  with 
numerous  selections. 

At  1  o'clock  p.  m.,  a  heavy  shower  came  up,  with  sharp  lightning 
and  heavy  thunder,  and  with  a  dash  of  hailstones  as  large  as  marbles. 
The  lightning  struck  twice  in  the  upper  part  of  the  village,  but  did 
no  material  damage.  The  storm  did  little  harm  to  the  decorations, 
as  the  Chinese  lanterns,  which  had  been  hung  out  for  the  illumination, 
were  all  taken  in.     The  shower  cleared  off  about  two  o'clock. 

At  2  :  30  the  Centennial  celebration  occurred  in  the  Meeting- 
House.  Prayer  was  offered  by  the  Rev.  H.  P.  Peck,  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  church.  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden  presided,  and  de- 
livered a  brief  address  of  welcome  to  the  returning  sons  and  daughters 
of  the  old  town  and  other  visitors.  The  church  was  filled  with  an 
interested  audience,  including  many  who  were  natives,  or  had  at  some 
time  been  residents  of  the  town.  Inspiring  music  was  furnished  by 
the  Schubert  Quartette  of  Boston  and  the  First  Infantry  Band  of 
Nashua. 

The  chief  address  was  delivered  by  the  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Bruce  of 
Boston,  a  native  of  the  town,  and  a  grandson  of  the  first  pastor,  the 
Rev.  John  Bruce.     Colonel  Bruce's  oration  is  given  in  full  elsewhere. 

After  the  Centennial  exercises,  a  social  hour  was  enjoyed,  with 
many  greetings  between  those  who  had  not  met  for  many  years. 
Meantime,  the  villagers  and  Ihe  committee  on  decorations  aud  illum- 
inations were  busily  engaged  in  preparing  for  the  evening.      The 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  195 

weather  had  become  pleasant,  there  was  no  wind,  and  a  profusion  of 
Chinese  and  Japanese  lanterns,  fancy  lights,  red,  white  and  blue  and 
colonial  buff  bunting,  and  flags  and  streamers  were  displayed,  and  the 
illumination  was  one  of  the  finest  ever  known. 

The  band  gave  a  concert  from  a  temporary  band  stand  erected 
on  the  Park,  and  later  played  on  the  pavilion  at  the  Golf  Club  House, 
while  a  grand  display  of  fireworks  was  made  by  a  committee  consist- 
ing of  Mr.  J.  F.  Wellington  of  Somerville,  and  John  H.  Colby,  P^sq., 
of  Boston.  The  village  street  was  filled  with  carriages  and  the  side- 
walks with  pedestrian  visitors,  viewing  the  continuous  illuminations 
of  the  streets  and  buildings,  and  the  crowd  centered  at  the  Golf  Club 
for  the  final  display. 

The  celebration  was  continued  on  Sunday,  which  dawned  clear 
and  beautiful,  and  with  a  most  comfortable  temperature.  The  people 
filled  the  new  Meeting-House  at  half-past  ten.  Preliminary  devo- 
tional exercises  were  conducted  by  the  pastor,  with  special  and  most 
charming  music  by  the  Quartette,  with  a  prelude  by  Mr.  Charles  Clem- 
ens of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  who  was  a  guest  at  the  Grand  Hotel,  and  kindly 
consented  to  preside  at  the  organ  ;  and  with  Congregational  hymns. 
Then  followed  "An  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Church,"  by  Mr.  H. 
Porter  Smith  of  Cambridge,  a  Boston  merchant,  son  of  the  Rev.  B. 
Smith,  who  was  pastor  of  the  church  in  the  forties.  It  is  given  in 
full  elsewhere,  and  was  hugely  enjoyed  for  its  interesting  reminiscences 
and  historical  facts,  and  especially  for  the  merry  humor  which  per- 
vaded the  entire  address. 

Mr.  Smith  was  followed  by  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter  of  Andover, 
Mass.,  a  former  pastor,  with  reminiscences  of  his  pastorate,  which 
were  exceedingly  interesting. 

In  the  evening  the  customary  Old  Home  Week  laymen's  service 
was  presided  over  by  Hon.  Geo.  A.  Marden,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Peck  con- 
ducting the  preliminary  devotional  service.  Mr.  Marden  delivered  a 
brief  informal  address,  "taking  his  text"  from  the  History  of  Am- 
herst, of  which  Mont  Vernon  was  formerly  the  Northwest  Parish, 
and  dwelling  somewhat  on  the  historical  genesis  of  the  town  as  the 
result  of  a  theological  schism  in  the  Amherst  church.  The  Quartette 
furnished  delightful  music,  and  the  congregation  sang  familiar 
hymns. 

A  most  fitting  address  was  also  made  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Frances 
Bennett  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  president  of  the  Middlesex  Woman's  Club, 


196  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

who  was  a  temporary  guest  at  Hotel  Bellevue.  Col.  J.  P.  Bradley 
also  gave  a  stirring  talk,  and  Mr.  C.  E.  Osgood  spoke  briefly. 

Collections  to  help  defray  the  expenses  were  taken  up  at  both 
morning  and  evening  services,  resulting  in  $109.00.  In  addition  to 
this  and  the  town's  appropriation  of  $200.00,  the  expenses  were  pro- 
vided for  by  a  guaranty  fund  pledged  in  sums  of  $25.00  each,  by 
Messrs.  G.  A.  Marden,  A.  Conant,  Colby,  Best,  Baker,  Wellington, 
Kendall,  Osgood,  Bragg  and  L.  B.  Hutchinson,  and  by  contributions 
of  $10.00  by  Mr.  Henry  F.  Dodge  and  $15.00  by  Mr.  W.  P.  Woods. 
Only  50  per  cent,  of  the  guaranty  subscription  was  finally  needed  to 
pay  all  the  bills. 

Messrs.  C  E.  Osgood  and  A.  Conant  were  a  committee  on  dec- 
orations and  illumination;  J.  F.  Wellington  and  J.  H.  Colby  were  a 
committee  on  fireworks  ;  Frank  Smith,  Will  P.  Fox,  Will  Jenkins  and 
Miles  Wallace  furnished  the  bandstand  ;  Daniel  Richardson  and  wife 
were  in  general  charge  of  the  dinner  provided  by  the  Ladies'  Home 
Circle,  from  which  about  $50.00  profit  was  realized  for  the  treasury 
of  that  organization ;  W.  P.  Woods  and  Deacon  W.  H.  Kendall  were 
the  committee  on  invited  guests  and  entertainment;  Geo.  A.  Marden 
on  music  and  publicity. 

No  effort  was  made  to  have  a  very  formal  celebration,  but,  on 
the  whole,  it  was  a  most  satisfactory  affair 

ADDRESS  BY  COL.  GEORGE  A.  BRUCE. 

Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 

The  town  of  Mont  Vernon  has  invited  all  her  children  wherever 
scattered  over  the  earth's  broad  surface  to  return  to  their  old  home  to 
assist  in  commemorating  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  her  birth.  If 
any  there  be  who  are  not  able  to  be  present  on  this  occasion  we  know 
that  it  is  not  from  lack  of  interest  or  desire.  To  all  here  present  she 
extends  a  hearty  welcome,  and  to  the  absent,  like  a  good  mother,  she 
sends  her  warm  good  wishes  and  kindly  benediction.  This  gathering 
is  little  more  than  a  family  reunion  on  a  large  scale.  Time  has  made 
this  occasion  for  us,  and  we  are  here  to  enjoy  it  all  by  ourselves.  We 
do  not  challenge  the  world's  attention  to  what  we  do  or  say  here,  but 
none  the  less  it  is  for  us  an  event  filled  with  satisfaction  and  joy  as 
great  as  if  it  were  to  be  seen  and  heard  of  all  men. 

In  many  ways  the  observance  of  those  years  which  mark  the  close 
of  periods  in  our  civic  life  are  of  value  not  only  to  us  but  to  those 
who  are  to  come  after  us.  They  tend  to  turn  inquiry  backward,  and 
are  the  cause  of  gathering  and  preserving  in  enduring  form  the  record 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  197 

of  events  in  oar  history  which  otherwise  might  be  forever  lost;  they 
tend  to  excite  and  cultivate  a  strong  local  attachment  which  cannot 
fail  to  be  of  service  and  value  to  this  town;  they  tend  to  lead  us  to 
reflect  upon  what  a  town's  good  name  and  prosperity  rests,  and  help 
to  make  more  sure  the  future  which  now  begins  to  unfold  before  us. 

Very  fortunately  some  years  ago,  in  anticipation  of  this  celebra- 
tion, it  was  decided  to  have  prepared  a  complete  and  full  history  ot 
Mont  Vernon  from  the  earliest  date,  and  this  important  work  was 
confided  to  the  most  competent  person  that  could  have  been  found, 
and  very  soon,  I  doubt  not,  the  finished  labors  of  the  Hon.  Charles 
J.  Smith  will  be  in  the  possession  of  every  citizen. 

In  the  opinion  of  most  men  the  settlement  of  Plymouth  in  1620 
is  the  most  conspicuous  and  important  event  in  the  history  of  New 
England.  It  is,  perhaps,  the  most  important  act  of  colonization  in 
the  annals  of  mankind.  History  has  gathered  up  and  preserved  in 
her  treasury  every  event  iu  the  lives  of  the  Pilgrims,  while  art,  poetry 
and  eloquence  have  exhausted  their  powers  in  presenting  to  our  im- 
agination the  story  of  their  hardships,  their  sufferings,  their  heroism, 
their  virtues  and  their  unchangeable  devotion  to  religious  and  political 
freedom.  We  do  not  complain  of  this.  They  caught  and  hold  that 
added  glory  which  comes  to  those  who  stand  first  in  a  long  series  of 
events  which  culminate  in  great  and  fortunate  results.  This  it  is 
which  gives  renown  to  Lexington,  and  to  the  first  shot  at  Fort  Sumter 
in  the  Civil  War. 

There  is,  however,  but  little  difference  in  the  character  and 
motives  of  the  men  and  women  who  came  to  Plymouth  and  those  who 
soon  followed  them  to  the  settlement  of  Charlestown,  Boston,  Salem, 
and  the  other  towns  of  New  England.  They  left  alike  the  most 
beautiful  country  the  sun  in  all  his  course  is  permitted  to  look  down 
upon  to  seek  a  new  home  in  the  wilderness ;  they  encountered  the 
same  hardships ;  they  came  face  to  face  with  the  same  difficulties  and 
dangers ;  and  they  bore  in  their  bosoms  hearts  as  brave,  wills  as 
strong,  faith  as  pure,  convictions  as  unchangeable  and  a  reverent 
trust  in  God  which  never  knew  shade  of  doubt.  While  the  world 
will  continue  to  hold  in  its  especial  care  the  name  and  fame  of  the 
Pilgrims  of  Plymouth,  here  at  least  we  are  bound  to  give  to  the  first 
pilgrims  to  Mont  Vernon  the  same  measure  of  praise  and  admiration 
which  in  a  wider  field  has  been  so  abundantly  accorded  to  them. 

We  are  living  now  in  an  age  of  great  events  and  great  things. 
We  have  a  great  nation,  great  cities,  great  towns,  great  railroads  and 
great  everything  else.  Small  things  and  small  events  are  passed  by 
as  unworthy  of  attention  in  a  great  age.  Any  number  less  than  a 
million  has  been  lost  from  our  common  speech. 

It  is  well  for  us  once  in  a  while  to  remember  that  a  million  is 
made  up  of  units,  and  that  there  is  value  in  small  things  as  well  as 
in  large  things.  To  be  a  small  good  man  is  better  than  to  be  a  huge 
bad  one,  and  a  small  town  with  a  virtuous  population  is  better  than  a 
large  city  filled  with  a  vicious  population*. 


198  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Mont  Vernon  is  one  of  many  small  towns  in  New  Hampshire, 
and  though  its  story  resembles  very  closely  that  of  many  others,  yet 
to  us,  her  children,  it  is  full  of  interest  and  tender  memories.  It  has  a 
local  flavor  all  its  own  and  readily  distinguished  from  that  of  all  others. 
Though  but  little  of  the  heroic  and  tragic  has  been  enacted  here,  yet 
the  simple  annals  of  the  years  that  bound  her  history  are  full  of 
lessons  of  private  and  public  devotion  that  appeal  to  the  heart  of  civ- 
ilized man.  No  great  battles  for  civil  and  religious  liberty  have  been 
fought  here  to  attract  the  world's  attention  to  this  spot ;  no  martyr 
has  enriched  our  fields  with  his  blood  or  sanctified  them  by  his 
sufferings ;  but  the  simple  living  of  plain  New  England  people  has 
furnished  many  examples  of  how  a  man  should  live  to  gain  most  of 
that  which  God  intended  he  should  gain  through  his  gift  of  human 
existence. 

For  forty-three  years  Mont  Vernon  formed  a  part  of  the  town  of 
Amherst,  which  was  incorporated  in  1760.  It  owed  its  settlement  to 
a  grant  made  by  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony  to  soldiers  who  had 
taken  part  in  King  Philip's  war  in  1675,  or  to  their  descendants  and 
representatives.  It  was  120  years  from  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims 
when  the  first  house  was  built  in  the  eastern  part  of  this  town  on  land 
included  in  what  for  half  a  century  has  been  known  as  the  Samuel 
Campbell  farm.  At  that  time  what  may  be  termed  the  heroic  age  in 
New  England  colonization  had  passed.  The  Indian  wars  were  then  a 
matter  of  history.  The  eastern  part  of  Massachusetts  and  the  whole 
surface  of  Rhode  island  and  Connecticut  were  dotted  with  cultivated 
farms  and  growing  villages.  Boston  contaiaed  a  population  of  about 
ten  thousand,  and  Charlestown,  Marblehead,  Salem  and  Newburyport 
were  busy  ports  crowded  with  ships  engaged  in  the  fisheries  and 
colonial  trade.  In  the  whole  of  New  England  there  were  at  least 
300,000  white  men  and  women.  There  was  a  large  population  born 
upon  the  soil  who  were  beginning  to  think  of  themselves  as  Americans 
and  not  as  Englishmen.  There  were  five  newspapers  published 
weekly  in  Boston  alone.  Benjamin  Franklin  had  begun  his  great 
career  and  was  even  then  the  most  conspicuous  person  in  America. 
Jonathan  Edwards,  who  ranks  among  the  brightest  ornaments  of  the 
Christian  Church  in  any  age  and  any  country,  had  been  settled  for 
15  years  in  Northampton.  A  new  nation  was  in  process  of  forma- 
tion and  the  instinct  of  nationality  was  asserting  itself  in  every  one 
of  the  older  colonies.  Only  five  years  later,  Massachusetts,  just  to 
try  her  wings  for  independent  flight,  with  slight  aid  from  Connecticut 
and  Rhode  Island,  captured  the  fortress  of  Louisburg,  which  was 
considered  the  Gibraltar  of  America. 

At  the  time  Mont  Vernon  was  first  being  settled,  the  American 
Colonies  contained  a  larger  population  than  had  ever  before  gone  out 
from  any  nation  for  such  a  purpose.  All  this  had  been  accomplished, 
not  by  aid  of  the  English  government,  but  in  spite  of  it.  Religious 
persecution  had  in  part  started  it,   and  subsequently  helped  it.      A 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  199 

political  revolution  bad  given  it  a  new  impulse;  but  the  real  explana- 
tion of  its  great  success  is  to  be  found  in  causes  that  reach  back  as 
far  as  the  Norman  Conquest.  For  nearly  a  thousand  years  the  title 
to  the  greater  part  of  the  soil  of  England  has  been  vested  in  the  hands 
of  less  than  a  hundred  men.  In  the  estimation  of  mankind  nothing 
gives  to  the  individual  so  much  importance  and  dignity,  so  much  of 
all  that  which  makes  life  attractive  as  the  possession  of  great  landed 
estates.  The  passion  to  own  land  is  inborn  in  every  Englishman. 
He  looks  upon  it  as  the  crown  and  glory  of  life.  What  one  sees  to 
be  so  advantageous  to  others  he  desires  to  possess  for  himself.  It 
was  this  passion  for  the  ownership  of  lands,  of  estates  great  or  small 
according  to  the  means  possessed  for  acquiring  them,  that  led  most  of 
the  English  colonists  to  found  their  homes  in  America.  They  did  not 
come  here  in  quest  of  gold,  or  glory  or  adventure  or  novel  excite- 
ments, but  to  build  up  homes  for  themselves  and  their  children.  Un- 
fortunately the  information  which  we  possess  in  regard  to  the  earliest 
settlers  upon  this  hill  is  very  meagre.  We  know  the  names  of  some 
of  them,  but  no  memorial  of  their  existence  remains  save  that  which 
they  have  left  on  the  surface  of  the  earth  which  we  daily  tread. 

How  we  should  treasure  and  with  what  delight  we  should  now  read 
a  well-kept  diary  by  one  of  our  earliest  settlers  covering  the  first  fifty 
years  of  our  history !  Not  Pepy's  or  Evelyn's  or  Fannie  Burney's 
would  be  to  us  half  as  interesting  and  instructive.  It  would  be  what 
Bradford's  history  is  to  a  wider  circle  of  readers.  By  its  aid  we 
should  almost  be  able  to  see  passing  before  our  eyes  the  transforma- 
tion of  a  wilderness  into  a  prosperous  and  civilized  town.  Perhaps, 
too,  we  might  learn  what  were  his  emotions  and  what  was  his  wonder 
as  he  gazed  for  the  first  time  from  the  brow  of  t  lis  hill  upon  the  most 
extended  view  obtainable  in  New  England  from  any  spot  habitable  by 
man  and  saw  no  trace  of  man's  existence ;  how  he  received  and  with 
what  delight  he  welcomed  the  incoming  of  other  settlers  to  become  his 
neighbors  and  friends,  each  in  turn  making  a  new  opening  in  the 
forest  where  for  centuries  the  giant  trees  had  wrestled  with  wind  and 
storm  and  tossed  them  off  from  their  branches  in  the  glory  of  their 
strength;  when  and  who  brought  under  cultivation  Prospect  Hill,  our 
highest  elevation,  where  now  the  summer  visitor  from  the  piazza  of 
the  "Grand"  can  enjoy  a  view  of  surpassing  loveliness  by  day  or 
watch  the  coast-wise  lights  send  out  their  friendly  rays  to  the  wan- 
dering ship  by  night ;  when  and  who  wrought  into  lawn-like  smoothness 
the  waving  lines  of  Campbell's  hill  where  the  golfer  of  today  at  the 
ninth  tee  looks  up  to  catch  a  smile  or  receive,  a  frown  from  Crotchet 
Mountain  at  the  success  or  failure  of  his  stroke ;  by  what  way  and 
when  the  first  horse  and  cow  and  pig  and  sheep  and  hen  were  brought 
here  to  equip  the  shaping  farm ;  when  the  footpaths  leading  from 
house  to  house  were  transformed  into  roadways  for  more  convenient 
travel ;  how  long  it  was  before  the  blueberry,  raspberry  and  blackberry 
bushes  sprang  up  and  bore  f rait  from  the  burnt-over  soil ;  when,  too, 


200  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

was  the  house  ready  for  the  incoming  of  the  wife  to  cheer  and  en- 
courage all  wit'i  her  genial  presence,  and  when  and  where  did  the 
first-born  see  the  light  on  Mont  Vernon  soil;  who  first  discovered  and 
with  venturesome  step  descended  into  the  gloomy  depths  of  Purga- 
tory—  facilis  descensus  Averno,  sed  revocare  gradum  superasque, 
evadere  ad  auras,  hoc  opus,  hie  labor  est  — these  and  a  thousand  other 
facts  of  greater  or  less  interest  we  should  know,  if  only  Lamson, 
YVilkins,  Carleton,  Averill  or  Smith  could  have  foreseen  that  a  century 
and  a  half  later  this  church,  which  has  taken  the  place  of  the  one 
they  helped  to  build,  would  be  crowded  with  their  descendant  *  and 
successors  to  bless  their  memories  for  such  a  gift. 

As  early  as  1760  there  were  fourteen  taxpayers  in  t  e  town,  and 
after  that  date  its  settlement  must  have  been  very  rapid,  for  during 
the  Revolutionary  War  our  territory  furnished  about  fifty  soldiers  and 
two  commissioned  officers,  Stephen  Peabody  attaining  the  rank  of 
Lieutenant  Colonel,  with  the  command  of  a  battalion  of  infantry  be- 
fore its  close. 

It  is  almost  certain  that  before  the  end  of  the  century  every  acre 
of  land  which  we  now  see  cleared  and  many  more  now  grown  up  into 
woodland  had  been  brought  into  cultivation,  and  the  houses  now 
standing,  with  a  few  exceptions,  had  been  built.  1  am  amazed  as  I 
attempt  to  compute  the  amount  of  labor  which  this  achievement  repre- 
sents. What  workers  these  early  Mont  Vernon  men  must  have  been  ! 
The  only  thought  then  could  have  been  how  short  could  the  hours  of 
sleep  and  how  long  could  the  hours  of  labor  each  day  be  made.  The 
"walking  delegate"  was  the  creation  of  a  later  day 

We  hear  much  at  the  present  time  of  what  is  called  the  strenuous 
life  —  of  urgent  and  persistent  labor  in  one  way  or  another  that  taxes 
strength  to  its  utmost  limit  of  endurance,  of  a  determination  to  do 
things  that  never  ceases  until  the  spring  is  broken  or  the  sands  of  life 
have  run  out.  It  is  spoken  of  as  if  it  were  an  incident  of  our  day 
only,  and  is  held  up  as  a  racial  menace.  But  there  were  heroes  be- 
fore Agamemnon  and  hard  workers  before  the  age  of  Roosevelt.  The 
man,  who,  with  a  warrant  for  120  acres  in  his  pocket,  a  rifle  on  his 
shoulder,  and  an  axe  in  his  hand,  first  came  upon  this  hill,  and  during 
a  lifetime,  by  the  labor  of  his  own  hands,  transformed  his  wilderness 
tract  into  fields  of  timothy  and  clover,  of  wheat  and  rye,  barley  and 
oats,  corn  and  potatoes ;  who  erected  a  commodious  house  for  a  large 
family,  and  a  barn  ample  for  fifty  sheep,  twenty  head  of  cattle  and 
the  necessary  winter  supplies ;  who  in  the  off-days  of  the  year  con- 
structed ten  miles  of  fencing  from  the  loose  and  half -buried  boulders 
that  some  prehistoric  glacier  had  scattered  about  his  fields,  apparently 
for  the  very  purpose  of  keeping  him  from  idleness ;  who  had  reared  a 
family  of  eight  or  ten  children  and  given  them  a  good  education ;  who 
had  fulfilled  all  the  duties  of  a  good  citizen  in  helping  to  keep  the 
town  up  to  a  high  standard  of  excellence  in  all  things ;  the  wife  of 
this  man  who  did  a  full  share  in  this  great  accomplishment,  who  rose 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  201 

before  the  lark  in  summer  and  before  the  weasel  in  winter  just  to  put 
the  house  in  order  for  a  good  day's  work  ;  who  with  her  own  hand 
made  the  butter  and  cheese  from  the  milk  of  twenty  cows,  washed 
and  spun  the  wool  from  forty  sheep,  became  the  mother  of  ten  children 
and  did  all  the  work  for  such  a  household  without  the  aid  of  any 
servant ;  who  tried  out  the  lard  from  the  fat  of  half  a  dozen  hogs  ;  and 
who  made  the  candles  to  light  the  house  through  the  long  nights  of  winter 
when  she  knit  the  stockings  and  from  the  waste  pieces  of  woolen 
braided  the  mats  that  were  scattered  over  the  floor  of  every  room  in 
the  house,  including  the  front  entry;  who  cultivated  her  own  little 
flower-bed,  set  out  and  watered  the  hollyhocks  that  bloomed  on  either 
side  of  the  front  door  and  made  it  look  like  an  entrance  into  paradise  ; 
who  dispelled  the  wintry  gloom  by  filling  the  sunward  windows  with 
flowers  almost  as  bright  and  cheerful  as  her  own  warm  and  sunny 
heart;  who  held  herself  in  readiness  every  day  of  the  year  to  sit  by 
the  bed  of  sickness  at  the  summons  of  any  neighbor  in  distress ;  who 
found  her  only  recreation  in  going  to  church  on  Sunday  three  miles 
away  to  listen  to  a  sermon  three  hours  long,  keeping  off  the  chilblains 
by  a  little  portable  stove  filled  with  coals  from  the  parish  fire, — this 
man  and  this  woman  knew  something  of  a  strenuous  life  that  the  men 
and  women  of  our  day  little  dream  of. 

From  the  beginning  of  time  did  the  Infinite  Eye  ever  look  down 
upon  brighter  examples  of  absolute  consecration  to  duty  than  the 
fathers  and  mothers  who  made  this  beautiful  New  England  in  order 
that  they  might  leave  to  their  children  and  those  who  were  to  come 
after  them  something  which  they  may  have  dreamt  of  but  never 
realized? 

Can  it  be  a  matter  of  wonder  to  us  that  in  the  early  ages  of  our 
kind,  among  children  of  such  parents  as  these,  if  such  there  were, 
who  had  heard  from  the  lips  of  father  and  mother  and  in  part  seen 
with  their  own  eyes  the  long  story  of  their  toil  and  struggle  to  build 
up  a  home  in  order  that  they  might  bequeath  to  them  that  which  they 
did  not  inherit,  there  should  have  sprung  up  the  thought  and  feeling 
for  ancestral  worship  that  still  survives  as  one  of  the  religions  of  the 
world?  In  life  they  had  been  their  earthly  parents  seen,  and  in  death 
they  became  their  heavenly  parents  unseen. 

Though  we  know  but  little  of  the  first  generation  of  Mont  Vernon 
men  and  women  individually,  we  know  much  of  them  collectively. 
They  were  a  strong,  vigorous,  God-fearing  race,  who  never  turned 
from  the  path  of  duty  as  they  saw  it  until  the  race  of  life  was  run. 
Religion  was  to  them  something  more  than  a  formality ;  it  was  a 
stern,  living,  ever  present  reality. 

The  inconvenience  of  going  from  two  to  six  miles  to  church,  at 
a  time  when  no  roads  existed,  was  very  great,  yet  it  is  doubtful  if 
there  was  a  family  here  that  failed  in  going  to  Amherst  every  Sunday 
of  the  year  to  hear  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  until  a  house  of  wor- 
ship of  their  own  had  been  provided.    As  early  as  1779  many  residents 


202  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

petitioned  the  General  Court  of  New  Hampshire  to  be  set  off  as  the 
second  parish  of  Amherst,  but  the  petition  was  not  granted  until  two 
years  later.  Before  this,  however,  a  church  had  been  organized  and 
the  building  across  the  way  from  this  in  which  we  are  now  assembled 
had  been  constructed,  every  farmer  in  the  town  having  contributed  of 
the  materials  entering  into  it,  the  heavy  timbers  having  been  hauled 
to  this  spot  by  oxen  over  the  snow  then  piled  so  high  and  crusted  so 
hard  that  stone  walls  were  invisible  and  a  straight,  smooth  road  was 
open  from  one  place  to  another  in  any  direction. 

The  Rev.  John  Bruce  from  Marlborough,  Mass.,  a  graduate  of 
Dartmouth  College,  was  the  first  ordained  minister,  of  whose  quali- 
fications I  am  unable  to  speak  for  two  reasons :  First,  that  I  never 
heard  him;  and  second,  that  I  am  one  of  his  direct  descendants. 

Separated  as  the  people  here  then  were  from  Amherst  ecclesi- 
astically, the  ties  that  bound  them  to  the  old  town  became  very  slight, 
and  from  ecclesiastic  to  political  independence  was  a  natural  and  easy 
step.  In  1783,  121  residents  petitioned  that  the  second  parish  of 
Amherst  might  be  set  off  as  an  independent  town,  but  then  as  now 
such  applications  were  not  readily  granted,  and  it  was  not  until  1803 
that  an  act  of  incorporation  was  obtained  and  Mont  Vernon  then  be- 
came and  has  ever  since  remained  one  of  the  brightest  of  all  the  jewels 
that  adorn  the  crown  of  New  Hampshire.  It  is  this  event  and  that 
which  flowed  from  it  that  we  have  met  here  today  to  commemorate. 

It  was  right  and  proper  that  the  people  living  upon  this  hill 
should  form  a  little  commonwealth  by  themselves,  and  govern  it  as 
they  deemed  best.  They  were  in  numbers  sufficient,  their  wealth 
was  equal  to  it,  and  in  intelligence  and  capacity  they  were  in  no  way 
lacking.  They  felt  for  this  land  so  lifted  up  towards  the  heavens  all 
the  passionate  love  which  the  Swiss  feel  for  their  snow-clad  mountains 
or  the  highlander  of  Scotland  for  Ben  Nevis  or  Ben  Lomond.  They 
took  a  pride  in  their  lofty  isolation  and  desired  to  give  to  it  a  local 
habitation  and  a  name,  and  the  mention  of  that  name  has  never  yet 
brought  a  blush  of  shame  to  the  cheek  of  one  of  its  citizens. 

It  was,  is,  and  always  has  been  a  little  town.  In  population  it 
never  reached  much  J  eyond  seven  hundred,  but  it  has  succeeded  in 
always  making  itself  known  and  felt,  sometimes  in  one  way  and 
sometimes  in  another.  It  is  always  throwing  out  its  banners,  and 
when  one  grows  dim,  it  lifts  up  another.  Into  obscurity  and  neglect 
it  will  never  consent  to  drop.  When  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  began 
to  fail,  its  enterprising  citizens  turned  their  attention  to  manufactur- 
ing, and  there  was  not  a  town  or  city  in  the  country  that  did  not  hear 
of  it  through  its  fancy  boxes  and  portable  writing  desks.  And  even 
before  new  fashions  threw  these  into  innocuous  desuetude  the  same 
men  erected  a  temple  of  learning  on  this  hill  which  for  half  a  century 
has  shed  its  light  over  the  surrounding  country  and  spread  the  fame 
of  Mont  Vernon  far  and  wide.  Finally,  she  invited  the  world  to 
come  and  see  her  as  she  is  when  she  puts  on  her  summer  robes  of 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  203 

beauty,  to  breathe  her  air  as  pure  as  that  which  mantled  Eden  ere  sin 
polluted  it  in  spots,  to  drink  of  the  waters  that  gush  from  her  granite 
breast,  to  look  up  into  her  heavenly  dome  of  a  bine  not  less  lovely 
than  that  o'erarching  the  Ionian  land,  to  open  their  eyes  upon  a  land- 
scape of  surpassing  loveliness  and  of  endless  extent,  to  gaze  upon 
her  western  skies  when  iu  autumn  the  sun  drops  behind  the  Lynde- 
borough  mountains  and  paints  the  piled-up  clouds  in  colors  more 
brilliant  and  variegated  than  Turner  saw  when  looking  over  Venice 
from  the  Lido ;  and  the  world  came  and  still  comes  and  will  continue 
to  come  as  long  as  men  seek  heal  h,  beauty  and  rest,  where  health, 
beauty  and  rest  are  found. 

Mont  Vernon  followed  the  order  which  is  observed  in  the  evolu- 
tion of  nearly  all  of  our  New  England  towns.  The  farms  came  first 
and  then  the  village.  When  the  population  was  sutlicient  they  first 
erected  a  church.  For  convenience  it  was  located  near  the  territorial 
center  and  around  it  the  village  grew.  First  came  the  doctor,  then 
followed  in  natural  succession  the  blacksmith,  the  shoemaker,  the 
storekeeper,  the  carpenter,  and  these,  with  the  few  owners  of  nearby 
lands  which  they  cultivated,  make  up  with  their  homes  the  typical 
New  England  village.  Such  was  the  little  village  of  Mont  Vernon  a 
few  years  after  the  erection  of  the  church  already  spoken  of,  and  it 
has  continued  in  the  form  in  which  it  was  originally  constructed  to 
the  present  day,  with  only  few  changes  and  some  additions.  For  a 
generation  after  its  incorporation  the  citizens  of  Mont  Vernon  were 
almost  entirely  engaged  in  agriculture  and  prosperously  so  until  1840 
or  a  few  years  later.  The  decline  in  this  industry  was  due  to  causes 
beyond  their  control.  They  affected  every  agricultural  community  in 
Newr  England  to  a  greater  or  less  degree.  Events  are  every  day 
happening  in  this  busy  world  that  bring  a  blessing  to  one  place  and  a 
blight  to  another.  We  can  neither  foretell  them,  nor  guard  against 
their  effects.  A  Portuguese  navigator  passing  around  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  to  India  destroyed  the  commerce  of  the  Mediterranean 
and  built  up  that  of  the  English  Channel  and  the  North  Sea.  Eli 
Whitney  invented  the  cotton  gin  and  indirectly  brought  on  the  Civil 
War.  England  repealing  her  corn  laws  reduced  the  value  of  her 
farming  lands  one-half  and  made  herself  the  greatest  manufacturing 
nation  in  the  world.  When  our  railway  system  was  extended  into 
the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  our  New  England  farmers  found  that 
they  could  no  longer  raise  corn  and  wheat  and  oats  and  barley  in 
competition  with  the  owners  of  more  fertile  lands  and  easier  of  culti- 
vation, and  from  that  date  and  for  this  cause  began  the  abandonment 
of  our  Mont  Vernon  farms,  and  I  fear  the  end  has  not  yet  been 
reached.  *  Not  only  man  and  his  belongings,  but  the  birds  of  the  air 
even  are  subject  to  the  decrees  that  evolution  is  issuing  from  her 
irresistible  throne. 

Where  now  are  those  Mocks  of  wild  pigeons  that  in  the  gloom 
and  glory  of  an  autumnal  morning  fifty  years   ago  darkened  the  sun 


204  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

in  their  flight  like  the  arrows  of  Xerxes  at  Thermopylae?  When  the 
wheat  and  rye  fields  disappeared  they  took  their  flight  and  not  one 
from  their  untold  millions  remained  to  remind  us  of  their  existence. 

After  the  Revolutionary  War  the  process  of  settling  of  New 
Hampshire  continued  with  an  accelerated  pace,  and  before  the  close 
of  the  century  our  eager  home  builders  had  pushed  northward  to  the 
very  borders  of  Canada  and  filled  up  the  lands  between.  Though  a 
farming  population  is  the  most  independent  and  self-  sustaining  of  all, 
yet  there  is  no  such  thing  as  real  independence.  We  are  always  lean- 
ing one  upon  another.  The  city  is  dependent  upon  the  town  and  the 
town  upon  the  city.  One  nation  draws  from  another  and  gives  of  her 
own  what  is  wanted  in  exchange.  As  New  Hampshire  did  not  pos- 
sess navigable  rivers,  and  was  unable  to  construct  canals  as  did  New 
York,  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  they  were  obliged  to  build  road- 
ways to  meet  the  demands  of  trade.  In  1802  the  Second  New  Hamp- 
shire turnpike  was  completed  from  Amherst  through  this  town  to 
Claremont,  and  later  b}r  extension  to  Windsor  in  Vermont.  They 
imitated  the  Romans  and  laid  it  out  in  a  straight  line,  neither  turning 
to  the  right  nor  left,  whatever  might  be  the  difficulties  in  the  way. 
Our  sturdy  ancestors  seemed  to  delight  in  overcoming  obstacles  and 
never  turned  aside  to  avoid  them.  The  opening  up  of  this  road  was 
an  event  of  great  importance  to  Mont  Vernon.  It  was  the  avenue 
through  which  passed  the  travel  of  northern  New  Hampshire  and  Ver- 
mont to  the  metropolis  of  New  England.  It  continued  to  hold  it  until 
the  Concord  and  Nashua  Railroad  was  opened  in  1837,  when  the 
toll-gates  were  pulled  down  and  its  glory  was  a  thing  of  the  past 

f  have  heard  my  father  say  that  he  has  seen  125  two- horse  teams, 
loaded  with  the  products  of  the  farm,  passing  one  after  the  other 
through  this  village  on  their  way  to  Boston.  Scarcely  a  day  would 
pass  in  the  appropriate  season  of  each  year  when  droves  of  cattle  and 
sheep  and  swine  were  not  seen  passing  in  the  same  direction.  To 
accommodate  this  immense  traffic  taverns  were  built  every  two  or  three 
miles  along  the  pike,  and  there  were  some  capable  of  providing  for 
the  care  of  forty  horses  at  one  time.  The  town  then  could  boast  of 
four  stores,  and  it  has  been  said  that  the  village  tavern,  located  on 
what  is  now  the  pub  ic  square,  was  in  the  habit  one  time  of  dispens- 
ing to  its  customers  a  barrel  of  rum  a  week  This  period  marked  the 
culmination  of  the  prosperity  of  Mont  Vernon  as  an  agricultural 
community,  and  can  be  looked  back  to  as  its  most  picturesque  and 
busy  age.  Fortunately  for  its  future  there  were  then  growi  g  up  here 
a  group  of  men  of  high  intelligence  and  ambitious  views  who  gave  a 
new  impulse  to  the  town  and  for  a  generation  kept  it  in  prosperous 
ways. 

The  manufacture  of  desks  and  fancy  boxes  was  carried  on  by 
William  Conant  and  Harry  H.  Bragg,  which  at  times  gave  employ- 
ment to  fifty  people ;  a  large  tannery  was  established  by  Joseph  A . 
Starrett ;  the  husk  business  was  the  conception  of  F.  O.  Kittredge, 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  205 

and  besides  these,  clocks  and  organs  were  sent  out  from  here  that 
kept  good  time  and  made  fine  music,  and  as  they  bore  the  name  of  the 
place  of  their  manufacture  upon  them,  thpy  sold  readily  without  a 
warranty. 

In  1850  the  men  whose  Dames  have  just  been  giveD,  joining 
hands  with  several  other  of  the  prominent  citizens,  learning  from  their 
own  experience  the  value  of  a  good  education,  and  desiring  that  the 
rising  generation  should  have  within  their  reach  opportunities  beyond 
that  which  they  had  enjoyed,  resolved  that  an  academy  of  the  first 
order  should  be  erected,  and  ths  result  of  their  labors  and  contribu- 
tions was  iom  seen  in  the  institution  which  for  along  time  flourished 
here  under  the  names  of  Appleton  Academy  and  McCollom  Institute. 
Since  then  I  have  mingled  somewhat  widely  with  men  and  affairs,  but 
there  has  never  come  under  my  observation  or  within  my  knowledge 
an  instance  of  such  liberality  or  such  great  personal  sacrifices  as  were 
made  by  these  men  in  the  establishment  of  this  school.  It  is  certain 
that  one  of  them  gave  to  it  at  least  one-fifth  of  all  his  wealth,  which 
was  limited  to  a  few  thousand  dollars. 

There  was  a  time  when  125  scholars  were  being  educated  in 
yonder  building,  and  the  flourishing  years  of  the  academy  gave  to 
the  village  a  life  and  vivacity  to  which  before  it  had  been  a  stranger, 
and  to  hundreds  of  boys  and  girls  fie  opportunity  of  gaining  an  edu- 
cation, which,  but  for  the  labor  and  sacrifice  of  these  men,  they  never 
could  have  gained. 

The  next  stage  in  the  history  of  Mont  Vernon  is  due  to  the 
sagacity,  good  judgment  and  business  enterprise  of  F.  O.  Kittredge. 
His  love  for  his  native  town  was  intense  and  beyond  that  of  most 
other  men.  What  he  thought  to  be  so  attractive  and  beautiful,  he 
believed  other  people  would  also  enjoy,  and  in  the  fifties  he  erected 
in  the  village  a  hotel  for  summer  boarders  that  in  outward  appear- 
ance and  interior  equipment  was  the  equal  of  any  house  of  the  same 
character  in  New  England.  From  the  date  of  its  construction  until 
its  destruction  by  fire  in  1872  it  was  annually  filled  with  guests  of 
high  standing  and  refinement,  whose  presence  was  welcomed  with  the 
same  pleasure  and  cordiality  by  the  people  of  the  town  as  they  ex- 
tend to  their  successors  of  the  present  year. 

It  is  not  possible  to  close  the  history  of  Mont  Vernon,  that  seems 
to  be  so  far  removed  from  the  rush  and  roar  and  turmoil  of  the  great 
world  as  to  be  hardly  in  touch  with  it,  without  reminding  you  that  it 
is  one  of  the  little  units  that  forms  a  part  of  a  mighty  nation.  Though 
far  removed  the  nerves  of  human  allegiance  reach  here  and  thrill  here, 
and  nowhere  have  human  hearts  moved  more  deeply  and  responded 
more  quickly  to  the  demands  of  patriotism. 

To  the  men  and  women  of  Mont  Vernon,  to  the  men  and  women 
of  every  city  and  town  and  hamlet  of  the  North,  the  year  of  1861 
stands  out  in  the  background  of  their  lives  as  the  one  most  memor- 
able and  eventful.       It  presents  itself  to  us  still  in  a  dual  aspect — 


206  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

filled  with  light  the  brightest,  and  with  shadow  the  darkest.  It  is  a 
canvas  from  which  stands  out  the  majestic  figure  of  America,  full  of 
strong  and  lusty  life,  in  the  act  of  putting  on  her  armor  and  taking 
up  the  sword,  set  in  a  frame  of  mourning. 

I  need  not  tell  you  how  the  currents  of  our  lives  began  to  widen 
and  to  flow  into  the  broad  stream  of  the  Nation's  life,  helping  it  and 
strengthening  it  with  heart  and  hand,  with  thought  and  deed. 

No  longer  then  were  the  thoughts  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  men 
when  would  the  warm  and  mellow  earth  be  ready  for  the  seed,  no  fear 
of  summer  drought  to  wither  or  early  frosts  to  kill  the  growing  corn. 
All  the  hopes  and  fears  of  everyday  life  were  overshadowed  by  the 
impending  national  calamity  and  the  resolution  and  work  to  avert  it. 
It  was  a  conflict  on  our  part  not  of  aggression,  but  of  preservation. 
We  were  a  people  unused  to  arms.  The  story  of  our  wars  had  been 
told  to  us,  if  told  at  all,  by  the  descendants  of  those  who  had  partic- 
ipated in  them.     The  actors  had  passed  away. 

But  when  the  nation  rose  from  its  sleep  of  security  to  put  forth 
its  strength  in  defense  of  life  and  honor,  we  recall  with  what  quick- 
ness of  decision  and  alacrity  of  step  our  young  men  left  field  and 
workshop,  school  and  college,  home  and  friends  to  meet  the  unknown 
but  certain  perils  of  war.  They  were  caught  up  and  carried  along 
almost  joyously  to  the  strife  by  that  spirit  which  kiudleth  a  flame  in 
the  hearts  of  a  people  when  great  dangers  threaten  and  heroic  work 
is  laid  upon  them  to  perform.  They  made  no  excuses  ;  they  asked  not 
for  delay,  but  to  the  call  gave  the  quick  response,  "We  are  ready." 

The  Union  soldier  was  gifted  with  that  intelligence  which  enabled 
him  to  see  the  importance  of  the  conflict  in  which  he  was  engaged, 
and  its  relation  and  bearing  upon  the  nation's  history  and  that  of  the 
civilized  world.  He  knew  and  felt  that  though  his  own  name  might 
soon"  be  forgotten,  yet  his  valor,  aiding  and  stimulating  that  of  his 
fellows,  was  being  wrought  and  spent  in  deeds  which  were  to  live 
through  all  human  story,  and,  with  this  foretaste  of  immortality 
charged  home  against  the  foe.  Thus  and  thus  only  have  the  great 
battles  of  freedom  been  won.  From  the  beginning  to  the  close  of  the 
war  Mont  Vernon  furnished  four  commissioned  officers  and  about  fifty 
enlisted  men. 

The  names  of  your  soldiers  were  upon  the  muster-roll  of  every 
army ;  they  followed  the  fortunes  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  from 
the  beginning  to  the  end ;  they  were  present  at  the  taking  of  New 
Orleans  ;  they  joined  in  the  assault  at  Port  Hudson,  and  helped  to 
open  up  the  Mississippi  to  the  peaceful  commerce  of  the  world ;  they 
endured  the  hardships  and  experienced  the  pangs  of  hunger  without 
complaint  under  Burnside  in  the  siege  of  Knoxville,  and  marched 
with  happy  hearts  under  Sherman  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea. 

And  now  the  hour  has  struck  and  the  story  is  ended.  We  stand 
face  to  face  with  the  new  century.  We  will  not  attempt  to  penetrate 
into  the  future,  but  await  its  unfolding  as  surely  it  will  unfold  with  its 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  207 

duties  and  responsibilities,  with  its  joys  and  sorrows,  its  smiles  and 
tears.  The  good  God  has  set  your  lives  in  pleasant  places  and 
scattered  around  you  with  prodigal  hand  the  beauties  of  wood  and 
field,  of  hill  and  mountain,  the  wavy  lines  of  the  smiling  plains  that 
stretch  and  prolong  themselves  till  they  meet  the  sea  at  its  margin. 

In  my  day  I  have  traveled  far  and  wide  and  seen  many  of  the 
places  famed  for  their  beauty  and  loveliness.  I  have  stood  on  Castle 
Hill  in  Edinborough  and  looked  down  upon  the  contrasted  picture  of 
water  and  cultivated  earth  and  far-off  hills  that  spread  out  before  and 
around  you  there ;  I  have  seen  the  fields  and  meadows  that  roll  away 
from  the  foot  of  Windsor  Castle  in  all  their  wealth  of  rural  loveli- 
ness ;  I  have  gazed  upon  the  wonders  of  an  Italian  landscape,  crowded 
with  the  fig,  the  pomegranate,  the  orange  and  the  lemon  when  they 
burst  forth  into  what  seems  a  springtide  of  eternal  bloom ;  I  have 
crossed  and  recrossed  our  great  continental  uplift,  seamed  with  mar- 
velous canyons,  whose  granite,  iron  and  marble  walls,  painted  by 
storms,  gleam  with  wonders  of  color  as  brilliant  and  variegated  as 
sunset  clouds,  broken  by  lofty  mountain  ranges,  whose  peaks  are 
covered  with  eternal  snow,  where  from  the  mists  of  ocean  are  brewed 
the  storm-cloud,  which  moving  from  their  mountain  home  and  spread- 
ing their  wings  in  flight  until  they  cover  a  continent,  fertilize  it  with 
a  wealth  of  generous  waters,  and  at  times  terrify  it  with  the  wrath  of 
tempests,  but  nowhere  have  I  looked  upon  that  which  has  left  a  more 
enduring  and  pleasing  recollection  upon  the  mind  than  that  which  for 
a  hundred  times  I  have  looked  out  upon  from  the  top  of  Prospect 
Hill. 

When  a  century  hence  some  one  shall  fill  the  place  which  I  now 
hold,  and  to  the  generation  of  Mont  Vernon  men  and  women  then 
living  shall  unfold  the  annals  of  the  hundred  years  then  passed,  may 
the  record  be  as  white  and  free  from  blot  or  stain  as  that  which  I 
have  been  able,  all  inadequately,  to  record  to  you. 

SOME     HISTORICAL     SKETCHES     OF     THE     CONGREGA- 
TIONAL   CHURCH. 

By  Huntington  Porter  Smith,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

The  fathers  and  mothers  of  this  church  were  of  Puritan  stock. 
They  had  the  Puritan  spirit,  the  Puritan  religious  principle,  the  Puri- 
tan faith  in  God  which  overcomes  the  world.  They  were  resolute, 
intelligent,  worthy  pioneers,  who  began  the  settlement  of  the  place 
about  1765.  They  were  accustomed  to  walk  from  the  extreme  borders 
five  or  six  miles  to  the  village  below  for  public  worship.  This  they 
did  cheerfully  until  their  hearts  were  moved  to  prepare  a  church  home 
nearer  their  dwellings.  In  the  winter  it  was  common  for  whole  fam- 
ilies to  ride  down  to  church  on  their  ox-sleds.     In  the  summer,  during 


208  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

the  week,  they  occasionally  had  preaching  in  the  barns  of  these  remote 
districts,  but  they  early  looked  forward  to  the  time  when  this  section 
should  become  a  separate  parish.  For  this  they  planned.  When  a 
majority  of  the  church  in  Amherst  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Jeremiah 
Barnard,  they  said  they  should  object  to  any  other  settlement  until 
their  request  to  form  another  parish  was  granted.  "They  insisted," 
says  a  writer  at  a  later  period,  "upon  having  a  more  pious  and  more 
orthodox  ministry  and  proceeded  to  supply  themselves."  In  Septem- 
ber, 1780,  a  council  was  convened  which  organized  here  what  was 
called  the  Second  Church  in  Amherst. 

No  records  of  this  church  for  the  first  thirteen  years  are  to  be 
found ;  but  aged  men  who  were  living  here  fifty  years  ago  said  the 
first  deacons  were  Nathaniel  Hayward,  Richard  Ward  and  Oliver 
Carlton.  These  aged  men  also  gave  other  information  concerning 
the  early  days  which  happily  has  been  preserved.  For  example,  that 
Rev.  Mr.  Coggin  from  Chelmsford,  Mass..  preached  to  a  large  audi- 
ence in  Major  Cole's  barn  which  was  said  to  have  been  just  south  of 
the  spot  where  the  old  meeting-house  stands.  His  sermon  was  upon 
the  importance  of  immediately  erecting  a  house  of  worship.  This 
was  in  revolutionary  times  and  a  large  thing  for  these  farmers  to 
undertake,  but  on  the  following  April,  each  farm  in  the  community 
sent  in  its  free  will  offering  of  timber  for  the  frame  and  covering  for 
their  house  of  worship. 

The  first  settler  on  the  hill,  Lieut.  James  Woodbury,  presented  land 
for  the  church.  Those  venerable  men  to  whom  we  have  alluded  as 
living  here  fifty  years  ago  said  that  the  heaviest  timber  was  drawn 
upon  the  snow  across  the  fields  and  over  the  walls  and  fences  without 
obstruction.  This  was  in  the  month  of  April,  1781.  David  said, 
looking  forward  to  the  time  when  there  should  be  a  suitable  resting 
place  for  the  ark  of  God,  "I  will  not  give  sleep  to  mine  eyes,  or 
slumber  to  my  eyelids  until  I  find  out  a  place  for  the  Lord,  a  taber- 
nacle for  the  mighty  one  of  Jacob."  Of  like  spirit  were  these  pro- 
genitors. In  June,  1781,  fifty-four  individuals  were  constituted  by 
the  General  Court  the  Second  Parish  of  Amherst.  So  urgent  was  the 
demand  for  the  house  that  before  the  floor  timbers  were  laid,  it  was 
occupied  without  any  formal  dedication.  We  may  well  imagine  the 
unfinished  walls  and  roof  resounded  with  fervent  prayer  and  praise. 
As  they  were  able,  they  slowly  but  s'eadily  completed  what  their 
longing  hearts  had  prompted  them  to  begin. 

During  the  first  winter  they  worshiped  there,  sitting  upon  rough 
benches,  with  a  single  floor,  and  most  of  the  windows  loosely  boarded 
up.  "To  this  place  came  men  and  women  walking  even  from  the 
Chestnut  Hills,  five  miles  distant,  with  nothing  to  warm  them  but  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation,  which  they  could  scarcely  hear  for  the  rag- 
ing of  the  wind  without."  So  says  one  who  wrote  at  a  later  day  of 
this  beginning.  The  old  fashioned  square  pews  were  constructed  as 
families  felt  able,  the  "pew-ground,"  as  it  was  called,  being  deeded 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  209 

by  the  parish.  There  was  for  a  time  much  space  left  for  the  benches. 
The  ground  for  four  or  five  of  the  square  pews  was  elevated  iu  front 
of  the  pulpit  and  reserved  for  free  seats. 

We  say  of  such  men,  we  say  of  these  men,  ''they  builded  better 
than  they  knew";  but  we  also  say  of  them  they  knew  they  were  build- 
ing well.  They  knew  that  the  timber  that  they  drew  from  their  farms 
was  the  soundest  and  the  best.  They  knew  the  foundation  upon 
which  they  placed  those  timbers  was  not  shifting  sand,  but  a  rock. 
They  knew  that  they  were  not  building  for  themselves  alone  but  for 
future  generations,  and  thev  knew  they  were  building  a  church  for 
God. 

There  is  an  old  couplet  that  runs  : 

''He  who  builds  a  church  for  God  and  not  for  fame 
Will  never  mark  the  marble  with  his  name." 

Name  and  fame  were  not  their  ambition. 

"Though  dead  they  speak  in  reason's  ear  and  in  example  live, 
Their  faith,  and  hope,  and  mighty  zeal  still  fresh  instruction  give." 

Looking  up  to  the  old  meeting-house,  recalling  its  history,  and 
the  lives  of  these  faithful  men  and  women,  one  has  an  impulse  to 
stand  with  uncovered  head.  Men  and  women  of  the  present  day, 
you  have  done  well  to  preserve  this  ever  sacred  edifice,  which  from 
afar  as  well  as  near  "many  an  eye  has  danced  to  see."  You  have 
perpetuated  that  which  shall  be  an  inspiration  for  braver,  nobler  liv- 
ing to  yourselves  and  children,  a  cause  for  gratitude  to  every  homo- 
comer.  To  a  remarkable  degree  the  church  here  and  the  town  have 
ever  been  interwoven.  Though  you  now  have  a  more  beautiful  house 
of  worship,  the  old  meeting-house  as  the  fathers  planned,  and  for 
which  the}7  toiled,  is  still  a  link  that  unites  the  town  and  the  church. 

In  17K0  and  1781,  there  was  no  regular  minister.  In  1782,  a 
Mr.  Powers  supplied.  In  1783,  Mr.  Samuel  Sargent  was  called  to 
settle,  but  declined  the  call.  Rev.  John  Bruce  was  the  first  pastor, 
and  this  was  his  first  and  only  pastorate.  He  was  born  in  Marlboro, 
Mass.,  in  1757,  and  entered  Dartmouth  College  at  the  age  of  twenty, 
graduated  in  1781,  with  honor  and  greatly  beloved  by  his  instructors. 
In  1784,  he  came  here  from  his  theological  studies,  having  declined 
an  invitation  to  be  the  pastor  at  Mason.  He  remained  twenty-five 
years,  this  being  nearly  twice  as  long  as  any  other  minister,  and  died 
suddenly,  March  12,  1809.  The  people  had  gathered  as  usual  on 
that  Sabbath  morning  for  the  service  when  the  announcement  of  his 
death  was  made. 

Mr.  Bruce  was  eminently  a  successful  minister,  greatly  endeared 
to  his  people,  and  deeply  mourned.  The  lapse  of  time  has  not  been 
permitted  to  efface  his  memory,  for  children's  children  have  sacredly 
kept  it  as  a  rich  legacy.  Though  but  fifty-two  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  his  death,   such   was  his   dignity  of  character  and   gracious 


210  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

bearing  that  he  was  known  as  ''Father  Bruce."  For  the  first  ten 
years  and  the  last  eight  when  he  was  here,  there  are  no  church 
records,  but  in  the  handwriting  of  Mr.  Bruce  there  has  been  brought 
to  light  what  is  undoubtedly  a  list  of  members  of  the  church  when  he 
became  pastor,  numbering  110.  During  the  seven  years,  from  1794 
to  1801,  it  appears  that  83  members  were  added  by  letter  or  pro- 
fession; 50  were  added  by  profession  in  the  year  1799.  This  re- 
vival was  the  first  one  known  in  this  section,  and  awakened  much 
interest  far  and  wide. 

As  will  be  noticed,  it  was  in  his  day  that  the  town  was  incor- 
porated. Who  first  so  happily  suggested  the  name  of  this  town? 
I  waited  in  vain  for  the  town  historian  to  tell  us  yesterday.  Though 
the  right  name  is  as  we  now  see  it,  others  must  have  been  suggested  : — 
West  Amherst,  Montville,  perhaps.  But  who  naturally  would  be  the 
one  to  give  a  name  in  which  all  would  unite,  but  the  man  in  whom  all 
hearts  were  united  —  the  intelligent,  sweet-spirited  pastor?  One 
afternoon  he  rides  in  a  chaise  from  Chestnut  hill  where  he  has  been 
making  calls.  Looking  off  from  a  hill-top  to  this  one  he  has  new 
views  or  new  impressions  of  the  beauty  and  the  verdure  of  the  fields 
and  farms  clustering  here,  and  he  says  ''Mont  Vernon."  So  the  town 
votes  Mont  Vernon.     Thus  the  imagination  pictures  it. 

Rev.  John  Bruce  had  four  sons,  all  of  whom  lived  beyond  the 
alloted  age  of  man  aud  passed  their  entire  lives  in  this  town.  Deacon 
John,  "Squire  Nat,"  James,  and  Captain  AVilliam.  How  familiar  their 
names  !  In  our  boyhood  days  how  familiar  their  forms  and  features. 
Intelligent  men,  men  of  worth,  they  faithfully  served  the  church  and 
the  town. 

Just  eighty  years  after  the  first  pastor  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College  his  grandson,  George  Anson  Bruce,  son  of  Nathaniel,  received 
his  diploma  from  his  grandfather's  college,  and  at  the  same  time  and 
place  his  townsman  and  boon  companion,  George  Augustus  Marden. 
The  historian  of  2U03  will  have  ample  occasion  to  speak  of  these 
men. 

I  will  not  tarry  here  to  enlarge  upon  their  distinguished  record, 
but  simply  say  that  side  by  side  they  prepared  for  college,  and  passed 
their  four  years  together  there :  both  served  our  country  in  the  Civil 
War,  and  since  then  in  legislative  halls  as  well  as  in  the  arena  of  life 
they  have  greatly  honored  their  native  town  and  state.  The  future 
historian  will  doubtless  refer  to  this  period  as  the  ''time  of  the 
Georges." 

The  second  pastor  was  the  Rev.  Stephen  Chapin.  He  had  been 
dismissed  from  a  neighboring  church,  so  I  find  it  written,  on  account 
of  his  "deep  and  discriminating  orthodoxy,  and  his  bold,  unadorned, 
uncompromising  style  of  preaching."  He  immediately  received  a  call 
to  this  church.  He  remained  here  nine  years,  during  which  time 
large  numbers  were  added  to  the  church.  He  was  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  College,  and  died  while  President  of  The  Columbian  College, 
Washington.  D.  C.      The  cause  of  his  separation  from   this  church 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  211 

was  from  a  quarter  least  expected.  A  child  being  presented  for  bap- 
tism, Mr.  Chapin  refused  to  administer  the  rite,  announcing  a  change 
in  his  views  respecting  the  mode  and  subject  of  baptism.  So  com- 
pletely were  the  hearts  of  the  people  united  in  him,  that  it  was  sup- 
posed that  the  flock  would  follow  the  shepherd,  but  led  by  the  Rev. 
Humphrey  Moore  of  Milford,  they  stood  their  ground  in  argument, 
and  not  a  single  individual  swerved  from  the  faith.  "Yet,"  says  the 
record,  "they  treated  Mr.  Chapin  with  great  affection  and  tenderness." 

After  an  interval  of  more  than  a  year,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Cheever, 
a  graduate  of  Bowdoin  College,  became  pastor.  He  continued  until 
1823.  In  1820,  the  first  Sabbath  School  was  organized.  It  was  held 
in  the  old  red  school-house  which  stood  where  the  village  school-house 
now  stands.     The  Sabbath  School  was  composed  only  of  children. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  Kingsbury  followed  Mr.  Cheever  in  a  prosperous 
ministry  of  thirteen  years.  The  temperance  movement  began  early 
in  Mr.  Kingsbury's  time.  It  is  on  record  that  there  were  eight  tavern 
licenses  given  in  one  year  here.  In  some  of  the  places  a  barrel  of  liquor 
was  sold  per  week.  It  was  no  easy  matter  to  control  public  opinion. 
The  church  seemed  on  the  point  of  being  rent  asunder  and  the  minis- 
ter driven  from  his  post.  There  is  an  anecdote  which  illustrates  the 
times :  The  new  road  was  being  built  south  of  the  church.  Mr. 
Kingsbury,  passing  that  way,  overtook  one  of  his  deacons  with  "two 
pails  full  of  grog."  The  deacon  advised  the  pastor  to  go  on  the  old 
road  as  the  workmen  were  so  drunk  that  he  would  be  insulted.  It  is 
mentioned  that  church  members  would  angrily  leave  the  sanctuary  if 
the  subject  of  temperance  was  alluded  to.  But  the  p.-istor  was  faith- 
ful;  devout  men  and  women  stood  by  him,  and  the  truth  was  finally 
triumphant.  "Intemperance  was  excommunicated  from  the  commu- 
nity, as  well  as  from  the  church." 

In  this  ministry,  I  notice  that  on  September  4th,  1831,  the 
following  persons  were  received  into  the  church  :  William  Conant  and 
wife,  Thomas  Cloutman  and  wife,  John  Carlton,  Timothy  Kittredge, 
Susan  Marden,  Dr.  Daniel  Adams.  Dr.  Adams  was  a  man  of  con- 
siderable fame,  being  the  author  of  Adams's  Arithmetic  which,  in 
after  years  some  of  us  boys  and  girls  knew  to  a  very  limited  extent 
and  not  by  heart.  In  the  days  of  his  medical  practice,  the  doctor 
was  a  great  favorite.  To  quote  from  one  of  the  Hutchinsons'  well 
known  songs,  he  was  one  of  those  doctors  who  came  "like  post  with 
mail  but  ne'er  forgot  his  calomel."  Tf  the  baby  died,  it  was  a  great 
consolation  to  feel  that  it  had  been  under  Dr.  Adams  s  care.  There 
was  a  time  when  the  good  doctor  led  the  choir,  and  with  a  tuning  fork 
pitched  the  tune.  Here  I  may  as  well  pause,  and  speak  of  some  of 
the  traditions  and  recollections  of  the  choir  in  the  thirties  and 
forties. 

Thomas  Cloutman  was  chorister  after  Dr.  Adams.  Capt.  Clout- 
man  was  a  sturdy  man,  erect  in  figure  and  with  upright  hair;  prompt, 
a  good  timist  and  drill  master.  It  was  "Down,  left,  right,  up, 
Sing  !"  with  him.     Are  there  any  members  of  Dr.  Adams's  choir  here? 


212  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON 

I  hardly  dare  assume  it,  but  I  am  confident  there  are  enough  of 
Thomas  Cloutman's  choir  who  could,  if  they  would,  give  us  an  Old 
Folks'  Concert  that  would  be  interesting  and  inspiring.  How  we 
should  like  to  hear  them  sing  : — 

"Fly  like  a  youthful  hart  or  roe 
Over  the  hills  where  spices  grow" 

to  the  accompaniment  of  violins  and  bass  viol.  Most  of  that  choir 
are  members  of  the  Choir  Invisible,  but  some  of  them  are  spared  to 
us. 

More  of  you  remember  the  choirs  in  the  forties  rather  than  in  the 
thirties.  Some  are  born  singers.  Such  were  some  of  these.  The 
pastor  enjoyed  the  singing  beyond  expression.  "How  beautifully 
Emeline  sang  today,"  I  heard  him  exclaim  more  than  once  as  he  came 
home  from  a  Sabbath  service.  Emeline  Cloutman  was  only  twelve 
years  old  when  she  became  a  member  of  the  choir.  The}'  had  an 
organ  then  and  Esther  Cloutman  played  it.  When  she  was  called  to 
join  that  choir  above,  her  father  could  no  longer  remain  in  this  one. 
If  she  has  her  earthly  form  and  face  there,  it  is  in  harmony  with  all 
we  imagine  of  that  home.  Laurana  Smith,  the  village  music  teacher 
and,  after  Esther  Cloutman,  church  organist,  ever  faithful  at  her  post 
of  duty ;  Levi  Averill,  the  organ  blower,  shall  I  not  speak  of  him? 
An  illness  in  childhood  left  him  not  entirely  what  he  would  otherwise 
have  been;  but  he  was  all  there,  body  and  soul,  when  he  "played  the 
organ."  as  he  called  it. 

As  you  tee,  I  have  anticipated  the  years.  Let  me  again  refer  to 
Mr.  Kingsbury's  time.  It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  his  ministry  that 
a  stove  was  procured  for  the  church.  Some  few  regarded  it  'too 
oppressive  an  innovation  to  be  borne."  They  claimed  it  reflected 
upon  the  habits  of  those  earlier  days.  It  may  also  be  recorded  that 
in  1837  the  church  was  removed  to  the  other  side  of  the  street,  re- 
modeled, and  furnished  with  bell  and  organ.  In  1855,  1  may  add, 
••with  all  needed  repairs  it  was  supplied  with  furnaces." 

Rev.  Edwin  Jennison,  introduced  by  Mi1.  Kingsbury,  was  in- 
stalled on  the  day  the  latter  was  dismissed,  April  6,  1836.  The  people 
regarded  Mr.  Jennison  as  unsurpassed  by  any  minister  in  the  county 
as  a  sennoni/.er.  On  account  of  failing  health  he  asked  for  dismissal, 
and  took  a  voyage  to  Europe. 

Rev.  Bezaleel  Smith  was  installed  August  19th,  1841,  and  con- 
tinued for  about  nine  years.  The  pastor's  son.  though  but  a  small 
boy,  may  be  supposed  to  have  considerable  to  say  of  this  period,  but 
ministers'  children  should  be  careful  what  they  say.  You  have  prob- 
ably noticed  that  they  are.  That  was  a  basic  principle  in  this  family. 
Still  the  size  of  the  family  and  that  of  the  salary  is  public  property, 
therefore  this  minister's  son  does  not  make  any  break  in  saying  that 
the  family  consisted  of  the  parents,  six  children,  and  a  grandmother. 
The  annual  salary  was  $500,  with  an  annual  donation  party,  if  mem- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  213 

or}7  serves.  The  donation  parties  were  memorable  occasions.  On 
the  pages  of  the  church  book  there  are  no  itemized  accounts  or  state- 
ments of  gross  receipts,  but  this  child  can  testify  that  anything 
nourishing  was  acceptable  in  the  family,  from  a  string  of  onions  or  a 
string  of  dried  apples  up  to  a  barrel  of  flour.  The  children's  warmest 
thanks  were  bestowed  upon  those  who  sent  in  pumpkin  pies  and 
doughnuts.  Alas  !  for  those  country  minister's  children  who  never 
know  the  joys  of  the  old  fashioned  donation  party.  Oh  that  some 
genius  like  the  one  who  wrote  of  the  moss-covered  bucket  would  sing 
of  those  joys ! 

Not  only  at  those  parties,  but  usually,  this  minister's  son  was  a 
pretty  happy  boy.  But  for  a  time  lie  felt  that  he  did  not  have  a  fair 
and  square  deal  with  the  world  because  he  was  a  minister's  son.  To 
him  the  air  upon  this  hilltop  seemed  to  be  blue  with  that  old  Satanic 
falsehood  about  "ministers'  sons  and  deacons'  daughters."  The  at- 
mosphere was  cleared  one  day  as  by  a  bolt  from  heaven  when  Dr. 
Davis  of  Amherst  preached  upon  that  subject.  He  vividly  and 
eloquently  illustrated  his  sermon  with  anecdotes  of  successful  and 
distinguished  men  and  women  who  were  children  of  Christian  par- 
ents, ministers  and  deacons  especially  included.  The  boy  does  not 
remember  one  of  the  sermons  of  Humphrey  Moore  who  often  supplied 
his  father's  pulpit,  and  not  all  of  his  father's,  but  he  does  remember 
that  one  of  Dr.  Davis's,  and  that  he  went  out  of  church  that  day,  his 
head  erect  and  as  he  believes  a  stronger,  better  boy.  These  were  the 
days  of  tin  foot  stoves  which  we  boys  had  to  fill  from  the  red  hot 
stove  in  the  vestibule  and  deposit  at  our  mothers'  and  grandmothers' 
feet. 

A  majority  of  the  church  at  this  time  took  ultra  ground  against 
African  slavery  and  voted,  as  did  other  New  England  churches,  to 
exclude  all  slave-holders  from  the  pulpit  and  the  Lord's  table.  Mr. 
Smith,  while  abhorring  slavery  as  much  as  any  one,  did  not  believe 
in  that  method  of  expressing  his  abhorrence.  There  were  those  in 
the  South,  sincere  Christians,  who  had  come  into  possession  of  slaves 
which  they  thought  it  their  duty  to  retain  and  care  for.  He  had  a 
college  classmate  who  was  that  kind  of  a  slave-holder.  The  pastor 
felt  that  such  men  should  not  be  excluded  from  the  communion  table. 
We  cannot  hide  that  the  saints  had  their,  little  differences  then  as 
now.      Von  know  the  old  hymn  says  : 

"They  wrestled  hard  as  we  do  now 
With  sins  and  doubts  and  fears," 

and  probably  with  one  another,  as  we  do  now.  It  is  remembered 
that  the  pastor  said  in  his  farewell  sermon  : 

"When  I  am  willing  to  have  my  wife  and  children  placed  upon 
the  auction  block  and  sold  one  by  one  to  the  highest  bidder,  then  you 
may  accuse  me  of  being  pro-slavery."  But  these  conflicting  opinions 
left  no  scars  which  time  did  not  soon  obliterate.       Nothing  has  ever 


214  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

been  wanting  on  the  part  of  this  people  to  show  their  affectionate 
regard  for  this  pastor  his  wife,  and  their  children.  While  here,  the 
wife  of  his  youth  was  taken  from  him  and  her  tranquil  grave  is  in 
yonder  cemetery.  Later,  three  of  their  children  were  brought  here, 
and  are  resting  by  their  mother's  side. 

The  name  of  Conant  has  been  identified  with  the  history  of  this 
church  for  more  than  eighty  years.  As  we  have  noticed,  William 
Conant  and  wife  united  here  on  profession  of  faith  September  1st, 
1831.  The  church  was  not  long  in  finding  out  that  it  had  in  this 
young  man  good  material  for  a  deacon.  May  1  not  say  —  many 
deacons,  since  it  was  well  grounded  in  the  doctrines  of  foreordina- 
tion  and  predestination.  Mr.  Conant  was  unanimously  chosen  for 
high  office  just  a  year  after  he  united  with  the  church.  tlOnce  a 
deacon  always  a  deacon"  by  Divine  right,  when  such  as  he  are  elected. 
Not  a  tall  man  in  stature  —  measured  by  his  soul,  he  was  a  large  man. 
He  had  five  sons  and  three  daughters  —  two  pews  full,  counting  the 
father  and  mother.  They  were  round,  smiling  faces.  Smiles  are 
usually  responsive  with  children,  often  leading  up  to  an  explosion. 
1  remember,  one  of  this  deacon's  sons  got  one  of  the  minister's  sons 
into  trouble  just  by  a  smile,  and  the  latter  came  very  near  being  in- 
vited into  the  pulpit.  1  once  heard  a  talented  young  minister  say  at 
a  Council  in  reply  to  the  question,  "What  led  him  to  choose  the  min- 
istry," that  he  thought  it  must  have  been  because  he  always  saw  the 
humorous  side  of  things.  Was  it  for  this  reason  that  William  Co- 
nant's  five  mirthful  boys  all  became  the  best  of  deacons?  Yes,  and 
because  the  father's  veins  were  full  of  deacon  blood,  I  should  say, 
and  the  daughters  were  of  the  same  type  and  mould  as  the  sons. 
From  this  country  church  they  went,  one  remaining  to  fill  the  father's 
place.  This  family  fully  demonstrates  what  is  undeniably  true,  that 
country  churches  furnish  in  a,  large  measure  the  life  and  strength  of 
the  city  churches.  I  wonder  it  those  children  heard  that  sermon 
alluded  to,  preached  by  Dr.  Davis  more  than  fifty  years  ago.  They 
are  an  illustrious  example  of  the  truth  that  was  proclaimed  that  day. 

William  H.  succeeded  his  father  in  office  here,  and  faithfully 
served  the  church  until  laid  aside  by  illness.  Only  a  few  months  ago 
some  of  us  came  to  this  fair  village  and  stood  beside  the  open  grave 
of  this  good  friend  of  the  church  and  our  good  friend. 

The  eighth  minister  of  this  church  was  the  Rev.  Charles  D.  Her- 
bert, who  remained  nearly  six  years.  Mr.  Herbert  was  a  man  of 
ardent  religious  spirit.  The  Academy  was  incorporated  about  the 
commencement  of  his  ministry.  Several  of  the  students  took  an 
active  part  in  the  work  of  the  church.  John  F.  Colby,  of  enduring 
memory,  was  among  these,  uniting  with  the  church  at  that  time. 
With  the  pastor  he  was  holding  neighborhood  meetings  that  fall, 
1852,  beginning  then  the  work  of  an  earnest  Christian  from  which  he 
never  ceased. 

The  next  pastor  was  the  Rev.  Charles  E.  Lord,    who  served  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  215 

church  a  little  more  than  four  years,  leaving  here  on  account  of  Mrs. 
Lord's  health.  The  letter  of  the  church  to  them  on  their  departure 
is  one  of  special  affection  and  appreciation. 

The  Rev.  George  E.  Sanborne  followed,  and  although  he  con- 
tinued only  three  years,  his  ministry  was  one  of  great  usefulness  in 
uniting  more  closely  the  hearts  of  the  people  in  Christian  fellowship. 
Mr.  Sanborne  was  a  man  of  tender,  persuasive  spirit,  and  the  light 
of  it  pervaded  the  whole  community. 

Rev.  Benson  M.  Frink  was  the  next  pastor  for  two  years.  He 
was  a  young  man  of  exceptional  ability,  fully  consecrated  to  his  high 
calling.  He  went  from  this  church  to  the  Central  Church,  Portland, 
Maine.  The  Council  in  granting  the  letter  of  dismission  expressed 
their  warm  sympathy  in  the  frequent  trials  of  the  church  in  its  changes 
of  ministers,  and  said  :  '-The  ministry  of  our  young  brother  has  been 
largely  blessed  in  this  place." 

The  parsonage  was  built  at  this  time.  One  other  special  event 
which  occurred  during  Mr.  Frink's  stay  was  the  ordination  here  of 
C.  F.  P.  Bancroft,  Ph.  D.,  who  went  as  teacher  and  pastor  to  Look- 
out Mountain.  Dr.  Bancroft's  wider  fame  is  that  of  Andover,  but 
he  was  the  successful  principal  of  our  Academy  for  four  years.  He 
closely  identified  hitnseif  with  the  work  of  the  chinch,  often  supply- 
ing the  pulpit  in  the  absence  of  the  pastor.  While  I  am  not  expected 
to  speak  here  of  the  Academy,  I  cannot  forbear  quoting  from  the 
annals  published  on  the  25th  anniversary  in  1875  :  "He"  [Mr.  Ban- 
croft] "came  immediately  after  graduating  at  Dartmouth,  and  when 
he  was  but  twenty  years  of  age."  We  are  told  that  his  rule  was  one 
of  love,  and  not  of  terror,  —  a  rule  that  worked  very  satisfactorily 
for  him  since  one  of  his  pupils  was  so  effectually  subdued  that  she 
has  been  willing  to  be  governed  by  it  to  this  day."  To  this  quota- 
tion let  me  add,  that  from  this  favored  spot  no  choicer  spirits  have 
ever  gone  forth  than  Cecil  and  Fannie  Kittredge  Bancroft.  Lovely 
and  pleasant  in  their  lives,  in  their  death  they  were  not  long  divided. 

The  next  pastor,  Dr.  S.  H.  Keeler,  was  here  eight  years.  That 
this  was  a  ministry  of  strength  and  uplifting  power  is  abundantly 
testified  by  living  witnesses,  although  the  records  are  very  meagre. 
John  Bruce,  after  a  continued  service  of  fifty  years  as  deacon,  re- 
signed the  office  about  this  time.  At  his  death  he  left  a  legacy  to  the 
church  of  $400. 

Deacon  J.  A.  Starrett  and  Deacon  William  Conant  also,  after 
their  long  years  of  service,  resigned.  Tender  and  appreciative  letters 
were  given  to  each  of  these  faithful  servants  of  God,  which  are 
placed  in  your  records.  Deacons  Bruce,  Starrett,  and  Conant!  —  a 
cluster  of  names  that  will  ever  add  bright  lustre  to  the  pages  of  the 
history  of  Mont  Vernon  church  ! 

Rev.  W.  H.  Woodwell,  of  Hampton,  Connecticut,  followed,  and 
remained  nearly  four  years  and  a  half,  having  endeared  himself  to 
the  church  by  his  wisdom  and  sympathy. 


21*5  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter  commenced  his  labors  here  Nov.  1st,  1.S80. 
After  nearly  five  years  of  generous  toil  he  laid  aside  the  work  on  ac- 
count of  impaired  health  and  by  advice  of  his  physician.  I  find  on 
his  leaving,  a  tribute  of  great  respect  and  affectionate  esteem,  voted 
by  the  church  and  signed  by  a  committee  consisting  of  these  beloved 
brothers  who  have  now  all  passed  on  —  Wm.  H.  Conant,  George  E. 
Dean,  Thomas  H.  Richardson. 

Mr.  Carpenter  is  the  man  above  all  others  to  prepare  the  annals 
of  this  church,  and  would  have  done  so  now,  had  he  felt  that  health 
permitted.  By  good  fortune  he  is  with  us  today,  bringing  his  greeting 
and  his  own  account  of  the  church  and  people  in  his  time. 

After  him  came  Richard  A.  McGown,  John  Thorpe,  T.  J.  Lewis, 
Donald  Brown,  and  H.  P.  Peck,  the  present  pastor. 

( )n  some  future  occasion,  others  will  speak  more  iittingly  of  these 
later  pastorates,  of  the  new  church  building,  of  the  large  gifts  fen-  it, 
from  distant  friends,  as  well  as  smaller  gifts  from  equally  devoted 
and  loving  hearts.  Especially  will  they  tell  how  the  last  thousand 
dollars  of  the  debt  was  raised  on  a  Sunday  evening  by  George  A 
Marden,  when  by  mirthful  personal  appeals,  witty  anecdotes,  and 
characteristic  persuasion  he  gathered  the  needed  sum,  an  entertain- 
ment never  excelled  on  this  hilltop,  besides  being  the  most  profitable 
one.     But  is  mine  to  speak  of  earlier  days. 

Let  me  give  you  one  or  two  more  pictures  of  the  long  ago.  When 
I  was  a  bo\T,  I  saw  as  a  boy,  I  thought  as  a  boy.  The  old  meeting- 
house was  the  centre  of  all  things  here,  aud  from  its  belfry  you  could 
see  everywhere  Go  up  into  the  belfry  and  I  will  show  you  the 
cyelorama  on  a  Sunday  morning  of  that  time.  Everybody  is  on  his 
way  to  meeting.  LooKing  east,  you  see  winding  along  the  side  of 
Preble  Hill  (they  give  it  a  grander  name  new,  because  the  city  folks 
require  it)  a  long  row  of  wagons  loaded  down  almost  to  the  axles 
with  Batchelders,  Kendalls,  Wilkinses,  Robies,  Robinsons,  Mc- 
Colloms.  Coming  across  Cloutman's  blueberry  pasture  is  Mr.  Eliot, 
the  village  carpenter  who  lives  outside  the  village.  Samuel,  John 
and  Jane  are  with  him.  Look  north,  and  you  see  wagon  loads  of  Bat- 
tleses,  Averills,  Lamsons,  Westons,  Richardsons,  Smiths,  Perkinses, 
Trows,  and  many  others  on  foot.  Look  east  by  south, — those  are 
the  Campbells,  Baldwins,  Browns,  Trevitts.  That  is  Sarah  Jane 
Trevitt  with  a  beautiful  bouquet  of  llowers  for  the  pulpit.  Toiling 
slowly  up  the  hill,  from  the  south,  with  his  horse  stopping  to  puff  at 
every  other  "thank-you-marm,"  is  Joshua  Cleaves  with  his  wife  and 
two  daughters,  Lydia  and  Augusta.  The  latter  teaches  the  village 
school  held  in  the  old  red  school-house.  The  former  has  also  taught 
there.  Mr.  Cleaves's  brother  John  and  his  son  William  are  walking. 
I'ncle  Joshua  will  have  a  comfortable  nap  before  he  returns.  An- 
other wagon  is  that  of  William  Richardson.  He  is  driving  his  son 
Justin's  white  mare,  "'pushing  on  the  reins"  continuously.  Justin  is 
walking.  Then  Capt.  Kittredge's  family  (where  the  minister  was 
never  allowed  to  he  criticized),  two  loads  of  them,  one  wagon   and   a 


HISTORY   OF  MOAT   VERNON.  .'17 

rockaway,  the  latter  the  toniesl  vehicle  in  town.  They  have  with  them 
old  lady  Coburn  and  the  widow  Kittredge.  Sabrina  Coburn  is  also  on 
the  way.  Charles  and  George  Kittredge  are  walking  up  the  old 
road  with  their  two  cousins,  Nancy  and  Harriet.  There  is  James 
Bruce  with  his  three  daughters.  Behind  them  is  Deacon  John  Carl- 
ton, son  of  the  first  deacon  Carlton,  and  wife,  with  Harriet  and 
Abbie.  Joseph  and  John  are  walking  cross-lots.  The  Trows  of  the 
south  part  of  the  town  are  on  their  way;  also  a  stray  Hutchinson 
(most  of  them  go  to  Milfoid).  Turn  in  a  westerly  direction,  and 
you  see  the  I'ptons  coming  over  the  old,  uneven  Purgatory  road,  and 
Henry  Dodge's  family,  who  live  at  the  Old  Homestead.  The  Dodges 
are  in  a  double-seated  "•democrat"  wagon,  good,  honest  Democrat  that 
he  is.  He  is  fair  to  middling  in  size  and  weight  (rather  more  so), 
but  there  is  room  for  his  wife  and  four  little  girls  besides  little  Henry 
Francis,  who  adds  his  mite  to  help  bring  down  the  wagon  springs. 
From  different  points  of  the  compass,  as  you  see,  they  all  come  "with 
one  accord  to  one  place."  They  bring  their  luncheons  and  stay  all 
day.  You  cannot  see  how  they  and  the  village  folks  can  crowd  in, 
but  I  remind  you  that  it  is  a  very  large  meeting-house,  and  they  are 
all  there,  except  those  whom  the  minister  mentions  in  his  ''long" 
prayer  as  "not  present  on  account  of  severe  illness  or  the  infirmities 
of  age." 

Come  down  from  the  belfry  and  look  in  with  me  over  the  audi- 
ence. You  s?e  Braces  enough  and  those  connected  with  them  by  the 
"ties  of  nature  and  affection"  to  fill  a  fair-sized  meeting-house.  The 
Conants  are  there  all  right,  about  two-thirds  up  the  right  aisle.  The 
Stevens  pews  are  full,  and  a  portion  in  the  singers' seats.  There 
is  a  full  pew  of  Cloutmans,  and  the  balance  in  the  choir.  How  it 
would  delight  President  Roosevelt's  heart  to  see  that  row  of  chubby 
Marden  children.  They  are  all  young,  but  George  is  old  enough  to 
repeat  to  his  Sabbath  School  teacher, 

"Though  I  am  young,  a  little  one, 
Yet  I  can  speak  and  go  alone." 

Zephaniah  Kittredge,  his  sons  and  daughters  and  grandchildren, 
Starietts,  Stiusons,  Marbles,  Dunbars,  Odells,  Smiths,  Bakers, 
Braggs.  If  I  have  omitted  anyone,  he  need  not  speak,  for  him  I  have 
not  offended  ! 

Ah  !  these  "scenes  that  once  were  mine  and  are  no  longer  mine  !" 
It  does  not  harm  us  to  have  smiles  as  well  as  tears  in  God's  House 
as  we  recall  them,  especially  at  such  a  time  as  this  We  will  turn 
from  these  things  but  cannot  forget  them,  certainly  not  the  hallowed 
names.  We  will  "look  up  and  not  down,  look  foiwaid  and  not  back- 
ward," and  we  will  "lend  a  hand,"  and  "all  abide  in  the  deepening 
conviction  that  there  is  no  institution  like  the  Christian  church,  noth- 
ing that  is  worthy  of  one's  utmost  devotion  save  the  kingdom  of  our 
Master." 


218  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

ADDRESS  BY  REV.  C.  C.  CARPENTER. 

The  speaker  selected  for  this  commemoration  of  the  first  hundred 
years  of  the  Mont  Vernon  church,  to  whose  interesting  address  we 
have  just  listened,  is  certainly  far  better  fitted  for  that  service  than 
I,  for  he  belonged  to  that  century  and  1  did  not!  He  came  to  the 
town  to  reside,  with  his  reverend  father — at  an  early  age,  to  be  sure — 
nearly  forty  years  before  I  set  foot  within  its  borders.  My  pas- 
torate began  indeed  on  the  very  boundary  line  of  the  church's  second 
century.  When  1  first  visited  Mont  Vernon  in  September,  1880,  I 
was  told  that  the  venerable  Dr.  Keeler  had  preached,  two  Sabbaths 
before,  a  centennial  sermon  in  recognition  of  the  original  organization 
of  the  church  in  September,  1780.  That  first  century  had  been 
blessed  with  twelve  pastors — the  full  apostolic  number — and  when 
after  the  true  Congregational  fashion  the  people  gave  forth  their  lots, 
the  lot  fell  upon  me  to  be  numbered  with  them  and  to  take  part  in 
their  ministry.  And  I  always  felt  that  I  entered  into  their  labors, 
and  to  a  good  extent  reaped  what  they  had  sown.  All. praise  to  the 
memory  of  those  early  pastors;  their  faithful  ministrations  moulded  a 
whole  generation  of  strong-hearted,  true-hearted  men  and  women  who 
believed  in  God,  in  the  Bible,  in  the  Church,  in  the  Sabbath,  in  the 
seriousness  of  the  life  that  now  is,  because  connected  with  the  life 
which  is  to  come  ! 

I  have  been  asked  for  some  remembrances  of  my  pastorate. 
Memories  I  surely  have,  vivid  and  tender,  of  those  live  happy  years 
of  humble  service  here,  although  they  ended'  nearly  a  ^core  of  years 
ago.  I  remember  that  first  Sunday  on  the  hilltop  in  the  autumn  of 
1880,  and  the  dear  old  meeting-house  in  which  1  preached— learning 
afterwards  that  my  coming  had  been  kindly  arranged  by  my  good 
friend,  Dr.  Bancroft,  in  the  capacity  of  a  candidate  !  And  when  the 
days  of  candidacy  were  over  and  the  family  had  come  to  the  parson- 
age— then  of  course  standing  on  this  site,  and  so  ensuring  still  more 
of  the  brisk  and  beautiful  breezes  of  winter  than  in  its  present  humbler 
location — I  remember  that  characteristic  hospitality  of  Mont  Vernon 
homes,  which  though  not  always  entertaining  angels  always  seemed 
to  provide  "angels'  food"  — and  this  hospitality  continued  unto  the 
end 

The  elder  Bruces  and  Kittredges  bad  passed  on,  but  good  old 
Deacon  Conant  remained — though  only  in  the  summer  time — as  also 
Mr.  Cloutman,  who  lived  till  he  was  able  to  say  with  Joshua,  "Lo,  I 
am  this  day  fourscore  and  five  years  old."  Hiram  Perkins  died  on 
the  morning  of  the  first  Sunday  of  my  pastorate.  How  well  I  re- 
member all  the  rest :  Deacon  Starrett,  Deacon  Dean,  Deacon  Wm. 
H.  Conant,  Haskell  Richardson — and  his  brother  Nathan  "in  the 
singers'  seats" — Capt.  Trevitt  from  his  fertile  farm  in  the  valley,  and 
Porter  Kendall  from  his  rocky  farm  in  the  East, — a  farm  which 
seemed  to  bring  forth   "honey  out  of  the  rock"   according  to   the 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  219 

Scripture!  —  Dr.  Bunton  in  his  last  days,  Charles  J.  Smith,  with  his 
encyclopediac  memory  of  all  the  past,  B.  F.  Maiden  with  his  origi- 
nality and  mental  independence,  Major  Stinson,  the  Batchelders,  the 
Battleses,  the  Averills,  the  MeColloms,  the  Lamsons,  the  Smiths,  the 
dwellers  in  the  North  District,  in  the  South  District,  in  the  East  Dis- 
trict, in  the  West  District  and  on  Beech  Hill,  and  godly  women  not  a 
few,  such  as  Mrs.  Trask  Averill,  Mrs.  Nancy  Stinson,  Mrs.  Mary 
Starrett,  .Jane  Elliott,  yes,  and  Laurania  Smith  with  her  passion  for 
music,  and  many  others,  both  men  and  women,  whom  time,  not  mem- 
ory, fads  me  to  tell  of. 

I  remember  the  Academy  and  its  work — education  and  religion 
co-operating  after  the  plan  of  the  fathers  (the  handmaids  standing 
side  by  side  now,  instead  of  on  opposite  sides  of  the  road)  —the 
shorter  priucipalships  of  Ray  and  Ward  and  Hunt,  the  longer  one  of 
Cassias  Campbell,  who  was  a  tower  of  strength  to  church  and  pastor. 
I  remember  the  Center  school  and  the  children  who  successively  at- 
tended it — I  still  preserve  tenderly  a  big  bunch  of  their  letters  written 
when  I  came  away;  they  are  children  no  longer,  and  although  I  re- 
member all  their  names,  I  wonder  whether  I  shall  recognize  all  their 
faces  if  1  see  them  today  !  I  remember  the  Sunday  School,  with 
Deacon  Dean  as  superintendent  and  George  Starrett  and  afterward 
Lucia  Trevitt  as  librarians,  and  the  quarterly  concerts  where  were 
exhibited  the  rolls  of  honor  for  faithful  attendance.  I  sent  up  to  Mr. 
Marden  the  other  day  some  of  the  lists  executed  in  red  crayon.  I 
remember  the  Home  Circle,  with  its  pleasant  entertainments,  its  be- 
neficent and  comprehensive  work— repairing  the  chapel,  painting  the 
parsonage,  building  a  parsonage  barn,  blowing  the  organ,  plowing 
out  the  sidewalks  in  winter;  I  remember  the  training  of  the  Buds  of 
Promise — promise  well  fulfilled  ! — the  levees  and  the  lyceums  and  the 
Village  Improvement  Society,  and,  perhaps,  best  of  all,  the  formation 
at  the  parsonage  one  stormy  winter  evening  of  the  Christian  Endeavor 
Society,  the  influence  of  which  proved  the  glad  beginning  of  open 
Christian  life  for  many  of  our  youth.  I  have  brought  back  that 
precious  roll  of  begiuuers  to  the  church. 

I  remember  seasons  of  joy  and  sorrow  almost  too  sacred  to  men- 
tion— bride  and  bridegroom  taking  the  glad  vows  of  marriage,  and 
the  times  of  mourning,  as  one  after  another  of  our  townsfolk  de- 
parted hence,  or  sons  and  daughters  of  the  town  were  brought  back 
to  be  laid  among  their  kindred  in  l  'God's  acre."  One  specially  tender 
incident  I  remember  at  the  funeral  of  a  dear  old  mother  in  Israel, 
whose  name  I  ueed  not  speak,  brought  back  from  Somerville  for  burial 
here,  when  her  seven  sons  and  daughters,  in  a  few  minutes  of  waiting 
at  the  close  of  the  service  in  the  old  meeting-house,  as  by  common 
impulse  sang  together  ''In  the  sweet  by  and  by,  we  shall  meet  on  the 
beautiful  shore." 

You  must  pardon  me,  friends,  if  as  I  recall  the  pastors  who  pre- 
ceded me  and  the  parishioners  of  my  time,  one  sad  thought  is  for  the 
moment  uppermost  in  my  mind.      Of  that  roll  of  twelve  pastors  of 


220  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

the  first  century  closing  in  1880,  five  have  died  since  that  date— Jen- 
nison,  Herbert,  Lord,  Sanborn,  and  Keeler—  only  Frink  and  Woodwell 
remain.  Mingled  with  the  joy  of  meeting  old  friends  is  the  sadness 
of  not  meeting  others.  Of  those  whom  I  used  to  see  before  me  in  the 
old  meeting-house,  how  many  I  miss !  I  found  most  of  their  names 
this  early  morning  in  the  quiet  city  of  the  dead  :  Dea.  William  Conant, 
Dea.  Starrett,  Dea.  and  Mrs.  Dean,  Mrs.  Mary  Starrett,  Mrs.  Nancy 
Stinson,  Mrs.  Bnnton,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richardson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Porter 
Kendall,  Capt.  Trevitt,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Batchelder,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Trask  Averill,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Travis,  Mi1,  and  Mrs.  Marden,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Marble,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stinson,  Mr.  Stevens,  Alonzo  Bruce, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Perkins,  Justin  Richardson,  and  I  presume  this 
does  not  include  all.  Besides  these  I  think  of  friends  closely  identi- 
fied in  our  minds  with  Mont  Vernon  :  John  F.  Colby,  Augustus  Berry, 
Dr.  Bancroft  and  Mrs.  Bancroft,  Dr.  Kittredge,  Prof.  Ray,  Chas.  P. 
Mills  and  others.  Last  of  all,  and  in  respect  of  church  associations 
nearest  of  all,  I  think  of  Dea.  William  H.  Conant,  gone  so  lately  to 
realize  what  lie  often  used  to  quote  in  our  prayer  meetings  — we  can 
almost  hear  his  familiar  voice  even  now — "Though  our  outward  man 
perish, yet  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day;  for  our  light  afflic- 
tion, which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceed- 
ing and  eternal  weight  of  glory  ;  while  we  look  not  at  the  things 
whicli  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen,  for  the  things 
which  are  seen  are  temporal,  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are 
eternal." 

But  in  place  of  this  sad  note — which  is  not  really  sad  — let  me 
add  words  of  greeting,  of  cheer,  of  promise.  Instead  of  the  past,  we 
have  the  present,  and  future.  In  an  old  exhibition  program  of  your 
academy,  twenty  years  ago,  I  noticed  the  other  day  the  title  of  an 
essay  written  by  one  of  your  girls — "Mt.  Vernon  a  Hundred  Years 
Hence."  What  is  the  outlook  for  the  town's  new  century?  There 
are  many  elements  of  encouragement:  a  new  sanctuary  of  "strength 
and  beauty"  ;  instead  of  the  fathers  are  the  children  ;  new  friends 
are  added  to  the  old  who  remain;  the  never  failing  freshness  of  this 
air,  the  never  fading  beauty  of  these  hills.  But  let  religion  and  edu- 
cation have  the  first  place.  Mt.  Vernon's  second  century  will  be 
largely  what  the  church  and  the  school  shall  make  it,  shall  mould  it ! 
The  children  of  my  time  are  the  citizens  of  today;  the  children  of 
today  will  be  the  citizens  of  your  second  century.  For  the  best  and 
truest  prosperity  of  Mt.  Vernon's  future,  make  sure  that  these  insti- 
tutions  are   constantly,  heartily,  strongly  sustained  ! 

Nor  let  us  be  disturbed  because  the  thoughts  and  ways,  the 
sermons  and  experiences  of  those  ministers  and  people  in  the  past 
differ  so  much  in  appearance  from  those  of  the  present  day.  Were 
they  all  wrong  in  the  past?  Are  we  all  wrong  now?  Neither!  L 
have  just  read  over  the  sermon  of  Stephen  Chapin  in  commemoration 
of  John  Bruce,  whose  pastorate  was  not  only  the  first,  but  by  far  the 
longest  of  all — how  fittino'  that  his  honored  grandson  can  be  the  his- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  221 

torical  orator  at  this  time  ! — and  I  read  such  stern  doctrine  and  gloomy 
exhortation  as  no  preacher  of  today  would  think  of  using,  and  no 
congregation  would  listen  to.  I  used  to  read  when  in  Ml.  Vernon  an 
old  set  of  written  experiences  of  candidates  for  membership  which 
some  pastor  had  preserved,  describing  in  stereotyped  doctrinal  phrase- 
ology their  feelings,  or  what  they  thought  their  feelings  ought  to  be. 
We  could  not  possibly  feel  so  or  speak  so.  But  they  were  right  in 
their  time — noble,  sturdy  men  and  women,  true  to  their  light  and  their 
consciences.  We  are  right  in  thinking  and  speaking  differently:  the 
differences,  however  great  they  may  seem,  are  really  small — they 
represent  the  unimportant  and  the  transient.  Under  these  differences, 
these  changing  creeds  and  forms  of  statement,  is  the  same  truth — 
that  is  vital  and  enduring:  ''The  things  which  cannot  be  shaken  re- 
main." Like  the  rock  under  your  ancient  church,  like  the  hills  which 
surround  you  as  the  mountains  about  Jerusalem,  so  the  Rock  of  Ages 
is  beneath  all,  the  great  facts  of  reason  and  revelation  stand  firm  as 
the  everlasting  hills.  Dear  Dr.  Bancroft,  a  few  days  before  his 
death,  said  to  me,  '-There  are  a  few  great,  simple  verities  to  be 
thought  of  now  !"  Let  us  keep  them  uppermost:  God's  existence, 
God's  love  for  his  children  on  the  earth,  His  immortality  and  ours, 
Jesus  Christ  the  same,  yesterday  and  today  and  forever;  these  make 
what  John  Fiske  called' "the  everlasting  value  of  religion" — these  are 
the  simple,  blessed  verities  which  abide — we  can  trust  them  ! 

For  all  the  past  ministers  of  the  dear  old  church  on  the  hill-top, 
I  will  now  say,  "peace  be  within  thee!"  God  grant  that  it  may  still 
be  as  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  as  a  light  on  a  candlestick,  attracting  and 
guiding  children  and  youth,  men  and  women,  into  an  earnest  faith  in 
great  and  biessed  things,  training  them  for  pure  and  honest  and  use- 
fid  lives,  so  that  they  may  enjoy  whatever  is  true  and  right  and  good 
here,  and  thus  be  best  fitted  to  inherit  and  enjoy  that  grander  life, 
veiled  now  from  our  eyes,  but  not  far  away  from  us  in  elder  years — 
not  very  far  from  any' of  us — when  we  shall  come  to  Mount  Zion  and 
dwell  at  home,  not  for  one  "home  week,"  but  forevermore,  all  Cod's 
children  united  in  the  Father's  House. 

Mr.  Carpenter  closed  with  an  exhortation  to  the  maintenance  of 
the  precious  heritage  of  the  past— not  to  be  content  with  praising  the 
fathers  but  to  imitate  them— and  recited  Dr.  Bacon's  old  hymn  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers,  "O  God,  beneath  Thy  guiding  hand."  the  last  stanza 
of  which  was  especially  appropriate  : 

"  And  here  thy  name,  (J  God  of  love, 
Their  children's  children  shall  adore, 
Till  these  eternal  hills  remove, 
And  spring  adorns  the  earth  no  more." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


MILITARY  HISTORY. 

French  and  Indian  War  Soldiers — The  Revolutionary  War — The 
War  of  1812 — Militia  Musters — The  Mexican  War— The 
CivilWar — Action  of  Town  as  to  Bounties — Men  Furnished 
Under  Different  Calls — Men  in  the  Second,  Third,  Fifth, 
Eighth,  Tenth,  Eleventh,  Thirteenth  and  Sixteenth  New 
Hampshire  Regiments,  and  the  United  States  Sharp-Shoot- 
ers— Town  Agent  For  Raising  Quotas — Action  as  to  Drafted 
Men  or  Substitutes. 

Mont  Vernon,  as  small  as  she  is,  has  had  a  part  in  all  the  wars 
which  have  taken  place  in  this  country,  except  the  Spanish  War. 
That  part  has  not  been  large,  but  it  has  in  every  case  been  creditable. 
The  story  is  a  brief  one,  but  it  is  honorable.  Men  went  from  this 
town  to  nearly  all  the  New  Hampshire  organizations  in  the  several 
wars,  but  the  greater  number  served  in  the  Civil  War,  and  in  the 
Thirteenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  enlisting  in  Company  B,  with 
George  A.  Bruce,  who  was  early  chosen  First  Lieutenant,  and  with 
Charles  M.  Kittredge,  who  was  later  First  Sergeant  and  then  Second 
Lieutenant  of  the  same  Company.  This  company  and  regiment  saw 
much  active  service. 

Six  soldiers  who  at  that  time  lived  in  what  is  now  Mont  Vernon 
served  in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  closing  in  1763.  They  were 
Samuel  Lamson,  Jonathan  Lamson,  John  Mills,  Samuel  Bradford  and 
Daniel  Weston.     Stephen  Peabody  was  a  sub-officer. 

Mont  Vernon  acted  in  conjunction  with  Amherst,  it  being  a  part 
of  that  town,  in  military  affairs,  until  its  entire  separation  in  1803. 

About  fifty  soldiers  served  from  what  is  now  Mont  Vernon,  in 
the  War  for  Independence.     The  following  are  their  names  :  John 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  223 

Averill,  Daniel  Averill,  Sr.,  Enos  Bradford,  Joseph  Bradford,  John 
Cole,  Nathan  Cole,  Isaac  Palmer  Curtice,  John  Carleton,  Enoch 
Carleton,  Jacob  Curtice,  Benjamin  Dike,  corporal,  Stephen  Dike, 
Amos  Flint,  Asa  Farnum,  John  Farnum,  Joseph  Farnum,  Stephen 
Farnum,  John  Farnham,  Stephen  Gould,  Allen  Goodrich,  Silas 
Gould,  Joshua  Haywood,  William  Haywood,  Zephaniah  Kittredge, 
Solomau  Kittredge,  Joseph  Lovejoy,  Samuel  Lamsou,  Andrew  Leav- 
itt,  Joseph  Leavitt,  Jeremiah  Lamsou,  John  Mills,  John  Odell, 
Ebenezer  Odell.  Joseph  Perkins,  William  Parker,  Robert  Parker, 
James  Ray,  Peter  Robertsou,  Moses  Sawyer,  Daniel  Smith,  Asa 
Swinnerton  (Swinington?),  Samuel  Sterns,  Henry  Trivet  (Trevitt?), 
Eli  Wilkins,  Lemuel  Winchester,  Levi  Woodbury,  Jesse  Woodbury. 

Stephen  Peabody  was  Adjutant  of  Col.  Reed's  regiment. 

Levi  Woodbury,  uncle  of  Judge  Levi  Woodbury,  who  died  in 
1850,  served  on  the  privateer  Essex,  which  was  taken  by  the  British. 
He  was  carried  to  England,  a  prisoner  of  war,  where  he  died. 

The  following  Mont  Vernon  soldiers  died  in  the  Revolutionary 
War:  Lieut.  Joseph  Bradford,  John  Cole,  Benjamin  Dike,  Jeremiah 
Lamson,  Sylvester  Wilkins. 

The  people  of  Mont  Veiuon,  believing  that  the  War  of  1812  was 
just  and  necessary,  ardently  favored  its  prosecution,  and  quite  a 
number  enlisted  for  permanent  service. 

Captain  -lames  T.  Trevitt,  commanding  a  company  in  Colonel 
Steel's  regiment,  was  for  sixty  days  at  Portsmouth,  where  was  ex- 
pected an  attack  from  a  British  fleet  cruising  near  by.  This  company 
was  made  up  of  men  drafted  for  special  service.  Dr.  John  Trevitt 
was  a  surgeon,  who  continued  permanently  in  the  service  after  the 
conclusion  of  peace,  and  died  in  1821  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  at  his  post  of 
duty. 

Dr.  Rogers  Smith  was  an  assistant  surgeon  on  the  frontier. 

In  the  days  of  "militia  musters"  Mont  Vernon  was  always  rep- 
resented. For  thirty  years  a  first-class  company  of  infantry  was 
sustained  here  under  the  militia  law.  It  would  be  exceedingly  inter- 
esting to  have  a  roster  of  the  company  or  companies,  or  detachments, 
of  tbe  militia  organizations  in  which  there  were  Mont  Vernon  repre- 
sentatives, but  the  names  are  not  known  to  be  on  record.  Within 
the  last  half-century  there  were  officers  living  in  the  town  who 
probably  gained  their  titles  in  the  military  service — such  as  Capt. 
Thomas  Cloutman,  Capt.  N.  R.  Maiden,  (who  later  lived  in  Frances- 


224  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

town),   Capt.  William  Lamson,    Capt.   Joseph    A.    Starrett,    Capt. 
William  Bruce,  and  others. 

In  the  war  with  Mexico,  Chandler  Averill  was  a  volunteer. 
Capt.  John  Trevitt,  a  graduate  of  West  Point  in  1840,  being  in  the 
regular  army,  served  in  this  war. 

THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

The  Civil  War  affected  the  little  town  of  Mont  Vernon  much  as 
it  affected  all  rural  New  Hampshire.  A  spirit  of  intense  patriotism 
was  aroused,  and  the  town  was  stirred  to  its  depths  by  a  determina- 
tion to  do  anything  within  its  power  to  aid  in  preserving  the  Union. 
The  official  action  in  town  meeting  is  perhaps  the  best  story  of  what 
was  done  in  this  direction  : 

18G1.  In  a  warrant  for  a  special  town-meeting,  called  for  May 
1"),  was  the  following  article: 

"2.  To  see  if  the  Town  will  make  the  wages  of  those  that  vol- 
unteer to  serve  their  country  up  to  $18  per  month,  and  furnish  them 
with  a  suitable  outfit,  or  make  them  a  donation  equal  thereto,  and 
make  suitable  provision  for  their  families,  or  make  as  much  provision 
for  them  as  those  that  volunteer  are  accustomed  to  do  for  the  families 
with  which  they  are  connected." 

The  vote  on  this  article  seems  to  have  been  somewhat  extraordi- 
nary, in  view  of  the  proposition  made  therein.     It  was  : 

"Voted,  that  the  Selectmen  of  Mont  Vernon  be  directed  to  order 
paid  from  the  treasury  of  said  town  to  the  following  persons,  who 
have  enlisted  in  the  volunteer  service  of  the  United  States,  the  sum 
of  seven  dollars  per  month  each,  for  a  period  not  exceeding  three 
months  from  the  date  of  their  enlistment  in  such  service,  viz  :  George 
Farnam,  A.  E.  Bennett,  John  H.  Smith,  James  Marvell,  James 
Beard,  Albert  York,  and  also  George  W.  Kittredge,  if  he  has  not 
been  guaranteed  extra  wages  by  any  association  of  persons,  or  by 
any  town.  Also  that  said  Selectmen  be  instructed  to  pay  an  expense 
of  board  incurred  for  said  individuals  while  drilling  at  Milford,  and 
their  wages  at  said  Milford  at  eleven  dollars  per  month,  and  also  to 
pay  for  any  material  used  in  garments  made  and  furnished  to  them 
as  an  outfit  prior  to  their  leaving  for  the  point  of  rendezvous  of  their 
regiment  in  this  state;  Conditioned,  however,  that  if  the  Legislature 
of  this  state  shall,  at  its  next  ensuing  session  make  any  appropria- 
tions covering  any  of  the  above  expenses,  only  such  money  shail  be 
paid  under  this  vote  for  those  of  the  above  specified  objects  as  are 
not  provided  for  by  such  legislative  acts." 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  225, 

It  was  also  voted  "to  give  to  each  of  the  above  named  persons 
who  have  volunteered  a  revolver,  or  twelve  dollars  in  money." 

At  a  special  meeting  held  Oct.  18,  1861,' there  was  an  article  in 
the  warrant 

"To  see  if  the  Town  would  raise  money,  or  authorize  the  Select- 
men to  borrow  money    to  carry  out  the  votes  above  recorded." 

"Also  to  see  if  the  town  would  pay  for  the  soldiers'  rubber 
blankets  or  overcoats,  which  were  furnished  by  Milford  people  to 
those  who  first  volunteered  for  three  mouths  from  said  Mont 
Vernon." 

Art.  3.  Also  to  see  if  the  Town  will  pay  the  amount  to  each 
soldier  for  the  support  of  his  family,  as  provided  by  the  law  passed 
at  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature  in  this  state." 

At  the  meeting  it  was  voted  "That  the  Selectmen  be  instructed 
to  borrow  money  to  pay  the  bills  which  have  been  contracted  for 
those  who  have  volunteered  for  three  months'  service  in  the  present 
war  from  the  town  of  Mont  Vernon." 

Voted  "That  the  town  adopt  the  law  in  regard  to  paying  each 
soldier  for  the  support  of  his  family,  as  provided  by  the  law  passed 
by  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature  in  this  state." 

August  12,  1862,  at  a  special  meeting,  there  was  an  article  in 
the  warrant 

"To  see  it  the  Town  will  pay  any  amount  of  money  as  an  in- 
ducement to  persons  to  enlist  into  the  military  service  of  the  United 
States,  that  drafting  may  he  dispensed  with." 

On  this  the  following  vote  was  passed  : 

"That  the  town  of  Mont  Vernon  shall  pay  to  any  citizen  of  this 
Town  who  shall  volunteer  iuto  the  U.  S.  service  for  the  term  of  three 
years,  unless  they  shall  sooner  be  discharged,  the  sum  of  one  hundred 
dollars,  which  shall  be  paid  to  each  volunteer  upon  his  being  mus- 
tered into  the  U.  S.  service." 

Sept.  1CJ,  1862.  At  a  special  town  meeting,  there  was  an  article 
in  the  warrant 

"To  see  what  action  the  Town  will  take  to  encourage  enlistments 
under  the  last  call  of  the  President  of  the  United  States." 

On  this  article  it  was  voted — 

"To  pay  each  person  who  will  enlist  into  the  United  States 
service  for  the  term  of  nine  months,  one  hundred  dollars,  on  his 
being  mustered  into  the  United  States  service." 

18G3,  Sept.  4.  At  a  special  town  meeting  called  for  this  date, 
an  article  in  the  warrant  was — 

"To  see  if  the  town  will  pay  those  that  may  be  drafted  and  go 
into  the  service,  or  their  substitutes  who  may  perform  the  service, 


226  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

three  hundred  dollars  each,  or  any  other  sum,  as  part  compensation 
for  their  service." 

"On  this  it  was  voted — 

"That  the  Selectmen  of  Mont  Vernon  be  instructed  to  pay  to 
each  of  the  drafted  men  from  this  Town,  under  the  present  call,  or 
their  substitutes,  three  hundred  dollars,  after  their  being  mustered 
into  the  I'nited  States  service  ten  days." 

Dec.  2,  1863,  at  a  special  town  meeting  called  to  see  what  action 
would  be  taken  in  regard  to  furnishing  men  for  the  United  States 
service  under  the  recent  call  of  the  President,  it  was  voted — 

"That  tht'  chairman  of  the  board  of  Selectmen  be  authorized  to 
furnish  the  substitutes  for  this  Town  on  the  best  terms  he  can,  under 
the  last  call  of  the  President." 

Also,  "That  James  Upton  be  authorized,  in  behalf  of  said  town, 
to  borrow  money  sufficient  to  pay  the  substitutes  for  the  quota  re- 
quired of  Mont  Vernon,  and  receive  from  the  Government  and  the 
State  the  amount  to  be  paid,  and  pay  the  same  into  the  treasury,  to 
he  appropriated  in  liquidating  the  debt  thus  incurred  by  the  Town." 

.lames  Upton  was  the  chairman  of  the  board  of  Selectmen. 

March  8,  1*64,  there  was  an  article  in  the  warrant  "To  see  if 
the  town  will  make  an  appropriation  in  favor  of  all  or  any  of  the 
soldiers  who  enlisted  from  the  town  in   1861." 

Voted — To  pass  by  the  article. 

June  2,  1864,  a  special  meeting  was  called  "To  see  if  the  town 
will  pay  the  soldiers  about  to  be  drafted,  the  sum  of  three  hundred 
dollars  each,  or  any  other  sum  the  town  may  see  fit  to  give." 

Voted — That  the  Selectmen  be  instructed  to  pay  to  volunteers, 
drafted  men,  or  their  substitutes,  three  hundred  dollars  on  their  be- 
ing mustered  into  the  I'nited  States  service,  and  this  vote  to  hold 
good  till  the  next  annual  March  meeting  in  1865. 

Voted — That  the  Selectmen  lie  authorized  to  till  our  quotas  with 
volunteers  or  substitutes,  and  the  Town  will  pay  any  sum  over  three 
hundred  dollars  which  the  same  requires. 

June  27.  1861,  a  special  meeting  was  held  "To  see  if  the  town 
will  vote  to  raise  a  sum  of  three  hundred  dollars  in  gold,  or  its 
equivalent,  for  each  drafted  man  or  their  substitutes,  for  the  present 
call,  and  volunteers  or  drafted  men  or  their  substitutes  for  all  calls 
that  may  take  place  before  the  annual  meeting  in  March  next." 

The  following  resolutions  were  passed  : 

"Resolved.  That  the  sum  of  three  hundred  dollars  in  gold  be 
raised  and  paid  to  every  man  who  has  been  drafted  and  held  to  ser- 
vice from  Mont  Vernon  under  the  last  call  of  the  President  for  200.- 
000  men  :  or  to  his  substitute  on  his  being  mustered  into   the  United 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  227 

States  service,  if  the  Selectmen  and  Town  Agent  (to  fill  quotas)  shall 
deem  it  expedient  to  do  so. 

"Resolved,  That  Charles  J.  Smith,  who  was  chosen,  on  the 
second  day  of  June,  agent  for  the  Town  of  Mont  Vernon,  to  lookout 
for  the  interests  of  the  Town  and  fill  our  quotas  with  volunteers  or 
substitutes,  to  hold  said  office  until  our  annual  meeting  in  March, 
1865,  be  authorized,  empowered  and  invested  with  the  amplest  gen- 
eral discretion  to  expend  such  sums  of  money  as  may  be  raised,  in 
such  a  manner  as  he  may  deem  best;  calculated  to  promote  the  pecun- 
iary interests  of  the  Town,  and  to  fill  any  quotas  of  Mont  Vernon 
under  present  or  future  calls  of  the  President  for  troops,  promptly, 
according  to  his  best  judgment. 

"Resolved,  That  a  sum  not  exceeding  810,000  be  raised  to  carry 
into  effect  the  votes  passed  at  the  Town  meeting  held  on  .bine  2nd 
and  the  vote  passed  this  day.'" 

March  14,  1865,  an  article  in  the  warrant  was — "To  see  what 
action  the  town  will  take  in  furnishing  men  that  may  be  called  for  by 
the  President  for  the  Army  for  the  coming  year." 

Voted,  "To  take  no  further  action  on  the  subject,  the  number  of 
men  to  answer  all  calls  not  yet  having  been  contracted  for  by  the 
Town's  agent  for  this  purpose." 

Article  <>  was  "To  see  what  action  the  town  will  take  with  regard 
to  paying  those  men  that  furnished  substitutes  under  the  call  for  two 
hundred  thousand  men." 

Voted,  "To  dismiss  the  article 

When  President  Lincoln  made  a  call  for  75,000  volunteers  for 
three  months' sendee  in  1801,  no  one  went  from  this  town,  though 
three  who  have  since  resided  here  enlisted  at  that  time  in  other  parts 
of  the  state.  They  were  Samuel  J.  Beard.  New  Boston,  John  M. 
Fox,  Amherst,  and  Daniel  I(.  Green,  Milford,  all  enlisting  in  the 
2nd  N.  H.  Regiment.  They  enlisted  iu  April  for  three  months,  and 
re-enlisted  in  May  for  three  years  as  privates.  Mr.  Beard  was 
wounded  at  Oak  Green,  Va.,  and  was  discharged  on  account  of  his 
wounds.  Mr.  Green  was  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  and  appointed 
a  corporal,  lie  lived  on  the  old  Nathaniel  Bruce  plain- in  the  village, 
which  he  had  purchased,  for  some  years,  and  died  there  in  1806. 
Mr.  Beard  lived  in  town,  mainly  at  Mr.  Henry  F.  Dodge's,  hut  after- 
wards entered  the  Soldiers'  Home  at  Tilton,  where  he  died  May  29, 
1902,  aged  66.  Mr.  John  M.  Fox  lived  in  Mont  Vernon,  when  he 
enlisted,  on  the  farm  formerly  owned  by  William  II.  Ireland.  He  at 
first  carried  on  the  tailor's  trade,  having  a  shop  in  the  I).  W.  Baker 
store.      Later  he  bought  out  the  store  so  long  kepi  by  T.  II.  Richard- 


228  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

son,  and  for  some  years  was  postmaster.  In  May,  1898,  having 
sold  his  store  to  Dea.  W.  H.  Kendall,  he  removed  to  Rochester,  N. 
H.,  where  he  kept  a  grocery  store  until  May,  1903,  when  he  leturned 
to  Mont  Vernon,  where  at  this  writing  (1906)  he  still  lives,  not  being 
engaged  in  any  regular  business. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1861  several  went  into  service  from  this 
town,  also  one  from  Danbury — Warren  D.  Johnson — who  enlisted  in 
the  5th  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  and  subsequently  moved  here,  and 
died  in  1893.  He  was  a  native  of  Danbury,  and  enlisted  in  Company 
I,  of  the  Fifth  Regiment,  Oct.  5,  1861.  He  re-enlisted  Jan.  1,  1864, 
and  was  promoted  to  Sergeant,  being  mustered  out  Jan.  12,  1865. 
He  is  said  to  have  been  several  times  wounded,  and  about  a  year 
before  he  died  he  received  a  pension.  He  came  to  Mont  Vernon 
from  New  Boston,  May  8,  1876,  and  died  here  Sept.  6,  1903,  aged 
50.  He  was  in  the  battles  of  Chancellorsville,  Vicksburg,  Lookout 
Mountain,  Wilderness,  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg,  Five  Forks  and 
others. 

Augustus  Johnson  enlisted  from  Nashua  in  1861,  in  the  Third 
New  Hampshire  Regiment,  and  was  discharged  for  disability  the  same 
year.  He  enlisted  again  in  the  Tenth  New  Hampshire,  July  30, 
1862,  and  was  discharged  Nov.  10,  1865.  He  was  a  pensioner  and 
came  to  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  married  the  widow  of  James  Smith. 
After  her  death  he  entered  the  Soldiers'  Home  at  Tilton,  where  he 
still  is  (July  5,  1906). 

Matthew  F.  Burnham  enlisted  in  the  Third  N.  H.  Regiment  in 
1861  ;  was  discharged,  disabled,  in  1863.  He  died  at  Mont  Vernon 
in  1896. 

George  H.  Farnum  enlisted  in  1861  in  the  Fifth  N.  H.  Regiment 
as  musician,  was  wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  1862, 
transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  and  was  discharged  May  4, 
1867. 

Henry  N.  McQuestion  enlisted  in  the  Fifth  N.  H.  Regiment  in 
1861,  as  private,  and  died  of  disease  June  6,  1862,  at  Newport  News, 
Va. 

The  following  men  enlisted  in  the  Eighth  N.  II.  Regiment  in 
1861  :  Charles  W.  Brooks,  as  private.  He  died  in  Roxbury,  Mass., 
in  May,  1890. 

George  W.  Brown,  as  private,  died  May  25.  1863,  at  New 
Orleans,  La. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  229 

John  Follansbee,  as  corporal,  was  wounded  twice,  was  dis- 
charged disabled,  Nov.  18,  1864.     He  died  at  Nashua,  May  2,  1881. 

William  E.  Ireland,  as  private.  He  was  drowned  July  26,  1864. 
in  the  Mississippi  River  at  Morganzia,  La. 

Howard  B.  Ames  enlisted  from  Lyndeborough  in  1862,  in  the 
Eleventh  New  Hampshire  Regiment.  He  moved  to  Mont  Vernon 
and  died  here  Nov.  12,   1876. 

The  following  men  enlisted  in  the  Thirteenth  N.  H.  Regiment  in 
1862: 

George  G.  Averill,  as  private ;  afterwards  detailed  as  musician. 

George  A.  Bruce,  as  private ;  appointed  1st  Lieut.  1862,  ap- 
pointed Capt.  Co.  A.  May  30th,  1864;  wounded,  1864,  at  Fort 
Harrison,  Va.,  appointed  Brevet  Lt.-Col.,  Maj.  and  Capt.  U.  S.  V.  to 
March  13th,  1865,  for  gallant  and  meritorious  services  during  the 
war.     He  now  resides  in  Boston,  Mass. 

Albert  Burnham,  as  private — was  wounded  June  1,  1864,  at  Cold 
Harbor,  Va. 

Israel  Burnham,  as  private:  discharged  disabled,  May  20th, 
1864.     He  now  lives  in  Nashua. 

Charles  W.  Dodge,  as  private ;  appointed  Corporal  1863,  dis- 
charged to  accept  promotiou  to  U.  S.  Colored  Troops,  Dec.  22, 
1863,  appointed  2nd  Lieutenant  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  1865. 

Charles  M.  Kittredge,  1st  Sergeant;  commissioned  2nd  Lieut., 
resigned  1863.  He  moved  to  Fishkill-on-the-Hudson.  He  died  in 
Mont  Vernon,  August  19th,  1896. 

John  T.  Perkins  enlisted  as  a  private;  appointed  Corporal,  1864, 
wounded  slightly  May  1(1,  1864  at  Drewry's  Bluff,  Va.  He  lives  at 
Westboro',  having  a  position  there  in  the  Massachusetts  Insane 
Hospital. 

Peter  F.  Pike  enlisted  as  private.     He  died  in  September,  1898. 

Charles  H.  Robinson,  as  private.  He  died  May  23,  1864,  at 
Mil  ford. 

Henry  K.  Shattuck,  as  private.    Died  of  disease  Nov.  23,  1863. 

John  H.  Smith,  as  private.  Discharged  disabled,  at  Newport 
News,  Va.,  March  12,  1863. 

William  S.  A.  Starrett,  as  private;  discharged  disabled,  March 
21,  1863. 

Charles  F.  Stinson  enlisted  as  a  private;   was  discharged   1863, 


230  HISTORY   OF  MONT  VERNON. 

to  accept  promotion  as  Captain  and  Brevet  Major,  I'.  S.  Colored 
Troops.      He  died  March  10th,  1893. 

Elbridge  F.  Trow  enlisted  as  private;  was  discharged  disabled, 
Oct.  23,  1862.      He  died  March  l'.Mh,  181)2,  at  New  Boston. 

Solomon  Jones,  private;  mustered  in  Sept.  18.  1802,  mustered 
out,  June  21.  186;"). 

George  N.  Copp,  private;  discharged  .Ian.  19,  1864,  to  accept 
an  appointment  as  First  Lieu!,  in  Thirtieth  Regiment  U.  S.  Colored 
Troops. 

Cyrus  P.  Douglass,  private;  mustered  out  with  regiment,  June 
21,  1865. 

Albert  Yorke  enlisted  as  a  private,  in  the  Third  N.  H.  Regiment 
in  1861  :  was  appointed  Sergeant,  wounded  in  186;"),  at  Fort  Fisher, 
N.  C. 

Alfred  Yorke  enlisted  in  the  State  Service  as  a  private. 

John  P.  Alexander  enlisted  in  the  Sixteenth  Regiment  N.  H. 
Volunteer  Infantry  in  LS(i2  as  private:  discharged  August.  1863; 
died  at  Mattoon,  III.,  Sept.  20th,  1863. 

Nathan  F.  Kendall  enlisted  as  private  in  the  Sixteenth  N.  H. 
Regiment  in  1862  ;  died  of  disease  Aug.  1",  1863,  at  Concord. 

Oramus  W.  Burnham  enlisted  from  Hillsborough  in  1862  as 
private  in  the  Sixteenth  N.  H.  Regiment:  was  appointed  1st  Lieut, 
in  1862,  and  resigned  in  1863.     He  moved  to  Mont  Vernon  in   1888. 

George  II.  Blood  enlisted  as  private  from  Bedford,  in  1864,  in 
the  Second  Regiment  Berdan's  U.  S.  Sharpshooters.  He  died  in 
Mont  Vernon  in  1898. 

George  A.  Maiden  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Second  Regiment 
Berdan's  U.  S.  Sharpshooters,  Dec.  10.  1  <S 6 1 ,  as  private;  appointed 
3rd  Sergeant  on  organization  of  Company;  appointed  Quarter- 
master of  1st  Regiment  Berdan's  U.  S.  Sharpshooters,  July,  1862; 
discharged,  1864.     He  died  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  Dec.  19,  1906. 

James  D.  Towne  enlisted  as  private  in  1861,  in  the  Second  Reg- 
iment Berdan's  F.  S.  Sharpshooters.      He  died  of  disease,   Dec.   20, 

1861,  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Camp  of  Instruction,  F.  S.  S. 
William  H.  Upton  enlisted  in  the  Sixteenth  N.  H.  Regiment,   in 

1862,  as  private.      He  died  Feb.  l<sth.  1863,  at  New  Orleans,  La. 
The  editor  hereof  wrote  to  the  Adjutant  General  of  New  Hamp- 
shire asking  for  a  list  of  all  soldiers  from  Mont   Vernon   who  served 
in  the  several  wars,  and  the  names  of  all   who  were  credited  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  23] 

Town  during  the  Civil  War.    To  this  the  following  reply  was  received  : 

Concord,  Feb.  LO,  I  DOG. 
Hon.  George  A.  Marden, 

Assistant  Treasurer.  I'.  S. 
Boston,  Mass. 
Dear  Sir : 

I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  your  letter  of  Feb. 
17,  in  relation  to  the  soldiers  of  Mont  Vernon  in  the  several  wars, 
and  regret  to  say  there  is  nothing  in  any  of  our  state  offices  giving 
just  the  information  you  desire. 

The  Revolutionary  records  give  the  towns  from  which  men  went 
in  but  very  few  cases.  There  are  no  records  whatever  of  the  War  of 
1812  and  Mexican  War  in  this  office  save  as  published  in  Nat  Head's 
reports  for  lMG.s,  which  are  not  official  and  which  do  not  give  the 
residence  of  the  men.  In  the  Civil  War  I  can  give  you  all  the  men 
credited  to  Mont  Vernon  under  the  call  of  July  1,  1862  and  subse- 
quent calls,  but  for  some  reason  when  the  credits  to  towns  were  made 
up  they  did  not  go  back  of  the  above  date.  I  enclose  the  list.  I  think 
you  will  find  some  men  whose  names  are  given  as  of  the  quota  of 
Mont  Vernon  were  not  from  the  Town,  and  were  picked  up  either  as 
substitutes  or  to  fill  the  quota. 

The  Revolutionary-rolls  in  possession  of  the  state  have  all  been 
published  in  Vols.  1  1,  1."),  1  (J  &  17  of  State  Papers,  also  called  Vols. 
1,  2.  3  &  4  of  Revolutionary-rolls,  with  index  to  each  volume.  These 
books  are  in  the  Public  Library  at  Mont  Vernon  and  also  in  the 
rooms  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society. 

Very  Respectfully, 

A.  1).  Aylino, 

Adjutant  General. 

List  of  men  mustered  into  the  U.  S.  Service  from  New  Hamp- 
shire, under  the  call  of  July  2,  18G2,  and  subsequent  calls,  and  as- 
signed to  the  quota  of  the  Town  of  Mont  Vernon. 

Lewis  Green  (Gerrie),  3rd  Regiment. 

John  Burns, 

Daniel  Bradbury,  -">tli 

Edwin  Austin, 

Peter  Adams,  6th 

George  Werner, 

Joseph  Farley,  7th 

William  J.  Harding, 

Henry  Stewart,  8th 

John  Petty, 

John  Riley,  9th 


232 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON 


Melchoir  Warsch, 
William  G.  Holt, 
Marius  Blanc, 
James  Davis, 
Thomas  Martin, 
Charles  Lynch, 
George  White, 
James  Calligan, 
Henry  K.  Shattuck, 
Solomon  Jones, 
George  G.  Averill, 
Albert  Burnham, 
Israel  Burnham, 
George  N.  Copp, 
Charles  W.  Dodge, 
Cyrus  P.  Douglass, 
Peter  F.  Pike, 
John  T.  Perkins, 
Charles  H.  Robinson, 
John  H.  Smith, 
William  S.  A.  Starrett, 
Charles  F.  Stinson, 
Charles  M.  Kittredge, 
Elbridge  T.  Trow, 
George  A.  Bruce, 
Nathan  F.  Randall, 
John  P.  Alexander, 
William  H.  Upton, 
John  Brown, 
Edward  Lockwood, 
Robert  Murry, 
John  Gilbert, 
John  Mackey, 
Robert  Cowell, 
Morris  Costoloo, 
John  Mclntyre, 
John  Leary, 
James  E.  Follansbee, 
George  Turner, 


9th  Regiment. 
10th 
11th 


13th 


16  th 


18th 
1st    Cavalry. 


Heavy  Artillery. 

U.  S.  Sharpshooters. 

U.  S.  Colored  Troops. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  23:; 

James  Wallace,  IT.  S.  Colored  Troops. 

Patrick  Sullivan.  IT.  S.  Navy. 

Edward  Williams, 

Aaron  B.  Hutchinson,  Lafayette  Artillery. 

It  is  probable  that  from  all  the  foregoing,  every  man  who  served 
from  or  for  Mont  Vernon  in  the  Civil  War  is  accounted  for. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


STATISTICAL. 

The  Population — How  and  Why  It  Decreased — Indebtedness  of 
the  Town — Before  the  Civil  War — During  the  War — Items 
of  War  Expenses — Bounties  for  Enlistments— Fillino  of 
Quotas — Town  Bonds — Longevity — Town  Meetino  Modera- 
tors— Town  Clerks — Selectmen — Their  Compensation — Rep- 
resentatives— A  Novel  Petition. 

For  sixty  years  after  its  incorporation  Mont  Vernon  varied  but 
little,  from  decade  to  decade,  in  population.  Just  how  many  people 
it  had  at  the  very  beginning  of  its  corporate  existence  does  not  appear 
to  have  been  a  matter  of  record.  As  stated  in  chapter  three,  there 
were  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  tax-payers  on  the  list  in  1804,  which 
should  represent  somewhere  about  six  hundred  to  seven  hundred 
population.  The  successive  census  periods  show  the  following 
number : 

1810,  762.  1860,  725. 

1820,  729.  1870,  601. 

1830,  763.  1880,  516. 

1840,  720.  1890,  475. 

1850,  722.  1900,  453. 

Up  to  I860  the  conditions  upon  which  the  population  depended 
were  not  much  changed.  There  was,  in  the  period  preceding,  quite 
a  variety  of  manufactures  carried  on  in  a  small  way,  which  tended  to 
keep  a  considei  able  number  of  families  here.  But  the  whole  trend 
of  things  about  this  time  was  to  carry  manufacturing  where  railroads 
existed,  and  where  power  could  be  obtained  at  reasonable  cost.  The 
old  families,  which  had  been  fairly  large,  began  to  lose  their  maturing 
members,  who  must  find  a  wider  field  for  their  enterprise,  and  the 


HISTORY   OF  MONT  VERNON.  235 

farming  interests  were  interfered  with,  as  the  manufactures  were, 
by  changed  conditions,  and  chiefly  by  western  competition,  in  the 
growing  of  staple  products.  Changed  conditions  in  education  (ended 
to  keep  away  children  from  abroad,  who  formerly  depended  on  the 
Academy,  and  this  was  another  factor  in  the  reduction  of  the 
population. 

THE  TOWN  DEBT. 

The  indebtedness  of  the  town  prior  to  the  Civil  War  was  not 
large.  In  1848  it  was  only  S20i»7.2S.  The  Town  reports  were  rather 
meagre,  and  often  gave  no  statement  as  to  the  condition  of  the  Town 
treasury.  In  1851,  the  debt  is  reported  as  $837.72.  In  1852,  it  was 
Sol  1.40.  In  1857,  it  had  risen  to  83601.27.  In  1858,  it  was  83221.99. 
In  1859,  it  was  83308.60.  In  1860,  it  was  83459.06.  In  1861,  it 
was  83619.87.  In  1864,  the  debt  had  risen  to  810,911.74.  In  I860, 
it  was  815,779.29.  In  1866,  it  had  fallen  to  814,036.15.  In  1867, 
to  813,715.07.      In  1868,  to  812,099.48. 

Of  course  the  rapid  increase  during  the  years  of  the  war  is  read- 
ily accounted  for  by  all  sorts  of  war  expenses — the  chief  of  which 
was  the  rilling  of  quotas,  the  payment  of  bounties,  the  aid  given  to 
soldiers'  families,  etc.  But  it  is  also  to  be  remarked  that  the  Town 
reports  varied  more  or  less  in  their  methods  of  accounting,  so  that  it 
is  not  possible  to  say  exactly  what  the  real  indebtedness  at  any  given 
time  was.  It  was  paid  off  in  part  soon  after  1872,  by  the  sale  of 
certain  "town  bonds,"  as  the  treasurer's  report  calls  them.  In  an- 
swer to  an  inqniry  made  by  the  editor  of  this  history  of  the  Hon. 
Solon  A.  Carter,  Stale  Treasurer  of  New  Hampshire,  as  to  what  these 
"bonds"  were,  and  how  many  the  town  had,  the  following  communi- 
cation was  received. 

Concord,  Feb.  23,  1906. 
Hon.  George  A.  Harden, 

Asst.  Treasurer,  U.  S. 
Boston,  Mass, 
My  dear  Marden  : 

Your  note  of  21st  inst.  duly  received. 

The  New  Hampshire  legislature  of  1871  authorized  an  issue  of 
State  bonds,  styled  municipal  war  loan  bonds,  to  be  dated  Jan.  1, 
1872,  maturing  in  20  to  33  years.  These  bonds  w.  re  given  outright 
to  the  towns  on  the  basis  of  $100  for  each  three  vears  man  credited 


236  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

on  the  quota  of  the  town  under  the  President's  call  of  July  2,  1862, 
and  subsequent  calls,  and  a  proportional  amount  for  longer  and 
shorter  terms  of  enlistment. 

The  total  issued  was  $2, '206, 100.     The  amount  apportioned  to 
each  town  was  determined  by  a  Commission. 

This  Commission  found  Mont  Vernon  entitled  to  the  following 
credits  : 

Term.  No.  men.  Amt.  awarded. 

Four  years  enlistment,  1  S  133.33 

Three'     "  "  49  4900.00 

One         "  "  1  33.33 

Nine  months        "  3  75.00 

Three      "  "  1  8.34 


55  S5150.00 
On  the  20th  of  April,  1872,  the  record  shows  that  D.   R.  Baker, 
Agent  for  the  town,  received 

Cash,  $     50.00 

$100  Bonds  (Nos    471  to  476)  (6  pieces)  600.00 

$500     "         (Nos.  328  to  332)  (5  pieces')  2500.00 

$1000  "          (Nos.   198  *    199)  (2  pieces)  2000.00 


$5150.00 
Gen.  Ayling  informs  me  that  he  has  furnished  you  the  names  of 
the  men  credited  to  Mont  Vernon  by  the  Commission. 

The  list  does  not  include  the  names  of  those  who  enlisted  prior 
to  July  2,  1862, 

If  I  can  serve  you  furthur  command  me. 

Yours  truly, 

Solon  A.  Carter. 

Treasurer. 

LONGEVITY. 

The  Town  has  always  been  noted  for  the  "length  of  days"  of 
many  of  its  inhabitants.  No  attempt  has  been  made  to  make  a  full 
record  of  those  who  have  reached  an  advanced  age  as  residents  of  the 
Town  ;  but  in  1882  there  were  eight  persons  in  town  eighty  years  old 
and  upward.  In  1883  there  wei'e  four  more  who  came  into  the  list. 
In  1899  there  were  six. 

MODERATORS  OF  TOWN  MEETINGS. 

The  following  is  believed  to  be  a  complete  list  of  those  who  have 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  237 

served  as  moderators  at  Town  meetings  since  the  incorporation  of  the 
Town,  giving  also  the  years  in  which  they  served  : 

Joseph  Langdell,  1804,  1805,  1806. 

Dr    Rogers  Smith,  1807,  1809. 

A.  F.  Sawyer,  1808,  1810,  1811,  1812. 

Ephraiin  Pike,  1813,  1815. 

Thomas  Needham,  1814;  Andrew  Wallace,  181(5. 

Elijah  Beard,  1817;  Nathau  Jones,  1818. 

Levi  Jones,  1819,  1820,  1821,  1822,  1823,  1824,  1825. 

Aaron  F.  Sawyer,  1826,  1827,  1828,  1830,  1831. 

Dr.  Daniel  Adams,  1832,  1833. 

Porter  Kimball,  1831,  1835. 

Z.  Kittredge  Jr.,  1835,  1839,  1840,  1841. 

William  Brnce,  1837,  1850;  C.  R.  Beard,  1838. 

Leander  Smith,  1842,  1843,  1844,  1845,  1846,  1847.  1848,  1849, 
1851,  1854,  1855,  1856. 

Charles  J.  Smith,  1852,  1853,  1857,  1858,  1859,  1800.  1861, 
1862,  1863,  1864,  1868,  1881,  1883. 

Alonzo  Travis,  1865,  1866,  1869,  1870,  1871,  1H72,  1873,  1874. 
1875,  1876,  1S77,  1878,  1879,  1880. 

C.  F.  Kittredge,  1867. 

J.  W.  Carson,  1882. 

Clark  Campbell,  1884,  1885,  1886,  1887,  1888,  1889,  1890,  1891, 
1892,  1893,  1894,  1895,  1896,  1897,  1900  (Fall  meeting.) 

AVilliam  H.  Kendall,  1898,  1900  (March  meeting),  1902,  190M, 
1904,  19o5,  1906. 

TOWN  CLERKS. 

John  Carletoii,  1803,  1804,  1805. 

Benjamin  Durant,  1806,  1807,  1811,  1812,  1813,  1814. 
Dr.  Rogers  Smith,  1808,  1809,  1810. 

John  Brnce,  1815,  1816.  1817,  18111,  1820,  1822,  1823,1824, 
1825. 

Elijah  Beard,  1818.      Dr.  Daniel  Adams,  1821,  1833. 

Timothy  Kittredge,  1826,  1827,  1828,  1830. 

C.  R.  Beard,  1831,  1832,  1834,  1835,  1836. 

Nathaniel  Bruce,  1837,  1838,  1839,  1840,  1841,  1842,  1844,  1H45. 

F.  O.  Kittredge,  1843.     J.  E.  Bruce.  1846,  1817. 


238  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Alonzo  Travis,  1848,  1849,  1850,  1852,  1853,  1854,  1855,  1856, 
1857;  1858. 

J.  D.  Nutter,  1851. 

W.  H.  Conant,  1851). 

Clark  Campbell,  1860,  1861,  1862,  1863,  1864,  1871,  1872. 

Charles  J.  Smith,  1865,  1866.  1873. 

.lohn  Kidder,  1867. 

George  W.  Averill,  1868,  1869,  1870,  1880,  1881,  1882,  1883. 

John  M.  Fox,  1874,  1875,  1876,  1877,  1878,  1879,  1886,  1887, 
1888,  1889,  1890,  1891,  1892,  1893,  1894,  1895,  1896,  1897,  1898, 

Dr.  Frederic  Chandler,  1884,  1885. 

William  H.  Marvell,  1899. 

Arthur  P.  Temple,  1900,  1901,  1902,  1904,  1905,  1906. 

Joseph  H.  Blood,  1903. 

SELECTMEN. 

John  Carletou,  1803,  1804,  1805,  1806. 

John  Langdell,  1803,  1804,  1805.  1806,  1807,  1808. 

Jacob  Kendall,  1*03,  1804,  1805,  1806,  1807,  1808,  1S09,  1810. 

Benjamin  Durant,  1807,  1808,  1811,  1812,  1813,  1814. 

Dr.  Rogers  Smith,  1809,  1810. 

EbenOdell,  1809,  1810,  1811,  1812,  1813. 

Jonathan  Herrick,  1811,  1812,  1815,  1816,  1817,  1818,  1820, 
1822. 

Edmund  Batchelder,  1813,  1814,  1815,  1816,  1817. 

Dr.  Zephaniah  Kittredge  Si'.,  1824. 

Ezekiel  Upton,  1815,  1816,  1817,  1818,  1819,  1820,  1822,  1823, 
1824,  1825,  1826,  1*27,  1828. 

Zephaniah  Kittredge  Jr. ,  1824,  1826,  1836,  1843,  1856. 

John  Bruce,  1818,  1819,  1820. 

John  S.  Adams,  1819,  1821,  1823,  1824. 

George  Raymond,  1821,  1822,  1823,  1832,  1833,  1«37.  1838. 

Asa  Webber,  1821. 

Allen  Goodrich,  1825,  1.S26,  1827,  1828,  1830,  1831. 

Nathaniel  Bruce,  1826,  1827,  1829,  1830,  1831,  1832,  1833, 
1834,  1835,  1837,  1838,  1839,  1842,  1H48,  1849. 

Ezra  Langdell,  1830,  1832,  1833,  1834. 

Timothy  Kittredge,  1831,  1847,  1848. 

('apt.  Leander  Smith,  1834,  1835. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  239 

Josiah  Russell,  Jr.,  1835,  1836. 

William  Coggin,  1836. 

Ira  Kendall,  1837,  1838,  1839,  1840,  1843,  1844,  1845,  1850, 
1852,  1853,  1854,  1857,  1858,  1859. 

John  AverillJr.,  1839,  1840,  1841,  1844,  1845,  1851,  1852. 

Henry  C.  Dodge,  1840,  1841,  1842,  1846,  1847,  1850,  1853,  1855. 

Clinton  Roby,  1841,  1842,  1843,  1851. 

John  Carleton,  1844,  1845,  1846,  1849. 

Trask  W.  Averill,  1846,  1847,  1857,  1860. 

Andrew  W.  Raymond,  1848,  1853,  1854,  1857,  1858. 

James  Weston,  1849.  F.  O.  Kittredge,  1850. 

George  E.  Dean,  1851,  1860,  1867. 

C.  R.  Beard,  1852,  1864. 

William  Bruce,  1854,  1855,  1859,  1861,  1862,  1865. 

J.  P.  Trow,  1855,  1856. 

J.  D.  Towne,  1856. 

Alonzo  Travis,  1857,  1858,  1879,  1880. 

Nelson  E.  Shedd,  1860,  1861. 

James  Upton,  1861,  1862,  1863,  1876,  1877,  1883,   1894,    1895. 

George  W.  Averill,  1862,  1863  1864,  1865,  1866,  1874,  1875, 
1887. 

Samuel  F.  Livingston,  1863,  1864,  1865. 

Henry  H.  Trow,  1866,  1868,  1869,  1870,  1879,  1900. 

Captain  John  Trevitt,  1866,  1868,  1871,  1872,  1873. 

J.  H.  Tarbell,  1867. 

Thomas  Wason,  1867. 

Charles  J.  Smith,  1868,  1869,  1870,  1871. 

Daniel  R.  Baker,  1869,  1870.     David  Harden,  1871. 

John  T.  McCollom,  1871,  1872,  1873. 

Cornelius  Green,  1874. 

Henry  F.  Dodge,  1873,  1874.  1876,  1877,  1878,  1892,  1893. 

David  Stiles,  1875.     Jesse  Wilkins,  1875. 

Thomas  H.  MeQuestiou,  1876,  1877,  187*. 

Charles  H.  Raymond,  1878,  1879,  1880,  1881,  1885,  1886,  1890, 
181H,  1896,  1899,  1900,  1902,  1905,  1906. 

Benjamin  F.  Davis.  1881,  1882. 

George  G.  Batchelder,  1880,  1882. 

Josiah  Swinnington,  1881,  1883. 

John  W.  Carson,  1882,  1883,  1884, 


240  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Frank  O.  Lamson,  1884,  1888,  1906. 
Joseph  W.  Averill,  1884,  1885,  1886,  1888,  1900. 
George  A.  McQnestion,  1885,  1886,  1887. 
William  F.  Hadley,  1887,  1889,  1890. 
Joseph  G.  Carleton,  1888,  1889,  1901,  1902. 
Willard  P.  Woods,  1889,  1890. 
William  G.  Burnham,  1891,  1892,  1893. 
George  C.  Hadley,  1891,  1892,  1893,  1894,  1895. 
Daniel  Richardson,  1894. 

Harry  G.  Blood,  1895,  1896,  1897,  1901,  1903,  1904. 
William  L.  Robinson,  >896,  1897,  1898. 
William  H.  Kendall,  1897,  1898,  1899. 
Charles  H.  Trow,  1898. 
Charles  0.  Ingalls,  1899. 
Louis  A.  Trow,  1901,  1902,  1903. 
Joel  F.  Perham,  1903. 
Leander  F.  Humphrey,  1904. 
Nathaniel  F.  Hooper,  1904. 
John  M.  Fox,  1905. 
Edward  W.  Trow,  1905. 
John  M.  Fox,  1906. 

There  has  been  no  fixed  compensation  for  town  officers,  and  no 
records  have  been  kept  of  this,  except  in  the  annual  town  reports 
which  commenced  about  1868. 

For  the  year  ending  Feb.  28th,  1871,  the  selectmen's  bills 
amounted  to  $174.00. 

For  the  year  ending  February  28th,  1882,  8123.50. 

"     "       "         "       March  1st,  1891,  133.00. 

"     "       "         "      February  15th,  1896,  $110.25. 

"     "       "         "  "  "     1897,  $121.00. 

"     "       "         "  tk  il     1898,  $141.25. 

"     "       "  "  "  "     1899,  $140.00. 

REPRESENTATIVES. 

In  giving  a  list  of  the  names  of  those  who  have  served  the  town 
as  representatives  in  the  legislature,  it  is  interesting  to  recall  a  peti- 
tion to  the  General  Court,  dated  Mont  Vernon,   December  20,  1803. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


211 


which  was  just  after  the  town  had  been  incorporated.  The  petition 
i>  given  as  recorded,  both  in  spelling  and  punctuation  : 

To  the  Honorable  Sennate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  Gen- 
eral Court  conviened  sheweth,  that  our  present  Situation,  is  sutch,  that 
we  cannot  be  conveniantlv  Anexed  to  Any  other  Corporation  for  the 
benefit  of  representation,  in  said  General  Court,  As  our  present 
Numbers  Amount  to  no  more  than  one  hundred  and  twenty  seven  — 
rotable  polls — Therefore  your  petitioners  pray  that  we  may  have  lib- 
erty to  send  a  representative  to  represent  us  in  your  Honorable 
House  the  Next  Session  and  so  in  filter. 

Mont  Vernon  December  1803. 


Eli  Wilkins 
David  Smith 
Ebenezer  Mills 
William  Hastings 
John  Harwood 
Josiah  Kittredge 
Joseph  Cogin 
Benj'n  Durant 
Thos.  Kendall 
Jonathan  Lord 
James  Ray 
Parker  Richardson 
Joseph  Dodge 
Joseph  Perkins,  jr 
John  Colburn  Kendall 
Benjamin  Stearns 
Nathan  Jones 
Abijah  Spofford 
Jake  Peabody 
William  Bradford 
Samuel  Phelps 
Wm.  Bradford,  jun 
Jonathan  Wilkins 
James  Woodbury 
Peter  Herrick 
James  Bennett 
John  Fisk 
John  Trow 
Nehemiah  Upton 
Joseph  Langdell 
Jesse  Avrell 
James  Smith 
Joseph  Perkins 
John  Averel 
John  Averill,  Jun 
Mark  Burnham 
John  Carleton 


Joseph  Trow,  Jn'r 
Ezekiel  Upton.  Jr 
Enos  Bradford 
Joseph  Farnmn 
I  sack  Weston 
lsac  Smith 
Sollomon  Kettredge 
Cyrus  Stiles 
Ebenezer  Holt 
Mud  Dodge 
Benjamin  Pike 
Jacob  Smith 
Wiliani  Cogen 
John  Batchelor 
Lant  Kidder 
John  Lamson 
John  Weston 
Allen  Goodridge 
Eben'r  Batchelder 
Lamb't  Bradford 
Aaron  Peabody 
John  Peabody 
Timothy  Hill 
Samuel  Mitchell 
Moses  Peabody 
John  Rollings 
Daniel  Smith 
Nathan  Flint 
Jacob  Curtice 
William  Lamore 
Nathan  Smith 
Dan'l  Kendall 
Jacob  Kendall 
Josiah  Dodge 
Abial  Wilkins 
William  Wilkins 
Josenh  Trow 


242  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

This  petition  was  referred  to  a  joint  committee  of  the  two 
branches,  who  after  investigation  reported  that  the  prayer  of  the 
petitioners  be  granted,  and  this  report  seems  to  have  been  accepted. 
Whether  any  formal  enabling  act  was  passed  is  doubtful.  At  any 
rate,  Major  William  Bradford  represented  the  town  in  1804.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  several  representatives  and  the  years  in 
which  they  served  : 

Major  William  Bradford,  1*04,  1805,  1806. 

1807,  no  representative. 

Capt.  John  Batchelder,  1808,  1801),  1810. 

Benjamin  Durant,  1811,  1812.  1813,  1814,  1815. 

Andrew  Wallace,  1816. 

Kzekiel  Upton,  1817,  1818,  1819,  1*20,  1821. 

Dea.  John  Bruce,  1822,  1823,  1824,  1825,  1826. 

Aaron  F.  Sawyer,  1827,  1828,  182'.). 

Nathaniel  Biuce,  1830,  1831,  1832,  1*33,  1840,  1841. 

Daniel  W.  Baker,  1*34,  1835. 

Porter  Kimball.  1836. 

George  Raymond,  1*37,  1838,  1839,  1842. 

Zephauiah  Kittredge,  jr.,  1843. 

William  Conant,  1*44. 

Leander  Smith,  1*45,  1*46,  1*47,  1*51,  1*52. 

John  Averill,  1848. 

J.  A.  Starrett,  1841). 

William  Bruce,  1*50. 

Alon/o  Travis,  1*53,  1*54,  1*55. 

Charles  R.  Beard,  1856,  1857. 

Ira  Kendall,  185*,    1859. 

Charles  J.  Smith,  1860.  1861. 

Ira  Roby,  1862. 

Wm.  G.  Bruce,  1863.  1864. 

Henry  C.  Dodge,  1865. 

Geo.  A.  Bruce,  1866. 

Charles  F.  Kittredge,  1*67. 

Andrew  W.  Raymond,  1868,  1*69. 

Joseph  II.  A.  Bruce,  1870,  1871. 

flames  Ipton,  1*72,   1*73. 

John  Trevitt,  1*74,  1875. 

Dan'l  P.  Kendall,  1*76,  1*77. 


HISTORY   OF  MONT   VERNON.  243 

Klbridge  F.  Trow,  1880,  L882. 

lcS84,  voted  not  to  send. 

issi;,  not  entitled. 

Henry  F.  Dodge,  1888. 

John  M.  Fox,  1890. 

Win.  G.  Burnham,  1892,  1894. 

Not  entitled,  1K96. 

Franklin  Marden,  1898. 

Charles  H.  Raymond,  1!>0<>,  1902. 

William  H.  Kendall,  1V)0:,»,  1904. 

.Joseph  G.  Carlton,  1905,  1906. 

JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE. 

The  following'  citizens  of  Mont  Vernon  have  been  commissioned 
as  Justices  of  the  Peace:  Eli  Wilkins,  Jonathan  Conant.  Dea.  John 
Carleton,  Aaron  F.  Sawyer,  Dr.  Dan'l  Adams,  Elijah  Beard.  John 
Bruce.  Nathaniel  Bruce,  George  Raymond,  Alonzo  Travis,  John 
Trevitt,  Franklin  ().  Kittredge,  Charles  J  Smith,  Win.  H.  Conant. 
Clark  Campbell,  Alonzo  S.  Bruce,  Win.  F.  Hadley,  John  M.  Fox, 
Win.  H.  Stiuson,  Oramus  W.  Burnham,  Wm.  H.  Kendall,  Arthur  P. 
Temple. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


CONCLUSION. 

In  writing  this,  the  closing  chapter,  it  is  left  only  to  record  the 
testimonial  o'  our  citizens  to  the  splendid  work  done  by  those  who 
have  with  great  painstaking  labor  compiled  the  interesting  data  of 
these  pages. 

In  1890  the  town  voted  to  publish  a  history  and  appointed  a 
committee  of  three.  William  H.  Conant,  Charles  H.  Raymond,  and 
Charles  F.  Stinson,  to  have  charge  of  the  arrangements  for  the  com- 
pilation of  it.  In  the  same  meeting  the  sum  of  five  hundred  dollars 
was  appropriated  for  the  use  of  the  committee. 

Hon.  Charles  .1.  Smith  at  once  commenced  work,  and  the  assem- 
bling of  facts  for  a  true  history  of  the  generations  past  and  present 
lias  been  carried  on  until  now.  As  usual  where  much  time  is  required 
to  sift  and  sort  the  facts  from  the  fiction,  to  verify  tradition  and 
hearsay,  it  has  seemed  to  those  waiting  that  the  history  would  have 
to  repeat  itself. 

Only  one,  Mr.  Raymond,  of  the  original  committee  remains,  the 
others  having  passed  from  amongst  us:  his  associates  now  being 
Henry  F.  Dodge  and  Willard  P.  Woods. 

It  is  a  pleasure  as  well  as  a  measure  of  justice  to  say  that  out  of 
a  mind  stored  with  accumulated  facts  acquired  through  a  long  life  of 
vital,  active  interest  in  the  affairs  of  Mont  Vernon  we  secured  results 
which  money  could  not  buy  io  the  work  of  Mr.  Smith.  Having  been 
endowed  with  a  wonderful  memory,  he  has  given  to  us  a  genealog- 
ical record  simply  beyond  comparison,  and  we  are  deeply  grateful 
for  his  life  and  work. 

In  the  original  resolution  it  was  written  that  a  final  revision  of 
the  work  should  be  made  by  Hon.  George  A.  Harden.  During  the 
past  four  years,  through  failing  health  and  great  physical  discomfort, 
he  has  worked  on  this  with  a  thoroughness  and  fidelity  which  can 
never  be  overestimated. 


HISTORY  OF   MONT  VERNON.  24o 

He  died  December  19,  \'.)QC>,  before  entirely  completing  the 
work,  and  it  is  unusually  fitting  that  this  hook  should  close  with  a 
tribute  of  love  and  praise  for  the  absolutely  unselfish  interest,  for 
the  self  sacrifice  and  the  limitless  generosity  which  has  characterized 
his  whole  life.  Living  as  he  has  through  the  epoch  making  period  of 
0111  country's  existence  and  taking  no  small  part  in  shaping  its  truer 
life,  he  ever  and  always  stood  staunchly  for  justice  and  the  right. 
It  is  with  honest  pride  of  justification  that  we  treasure  the  honor  of 
his  complete  life  as  our  heritage. 


PART    II 


GENEALOGY 


GENEALOGY 


LIST  OF  ABBREVIATIONS 


b. — born.  res. — resides  or  resided. 

ch. — child  or  children.  unm. — unmarried. 

d. — died.  wid. — widow. 

dau. — daughter.  yrs. — years. 

dys. — days.  & — and. 

grad  —  graduated.  rem. — removed. 

m—  married.  Regt. — Regiment. 

mos. — months.  Dist  —  District. 

Mt.  V. — Mont  Vernon. 

There  are  the  usual  abbreviations  for  months  of  the  year,  and  states 
of  the  Union. 


EXPLANATORY   NOTES. 

The  sign  *  before  a  given  name  denotes  that  that  person  is  mentioned 
at  length  afterward,  or  mentioned  elsewhere. 

The  numeral  placed  after  a  given  name  denotes  the  number  of  the 
generation  of  such  person  reckoning  from  his  earliest  ancestor,  mentioned 
in  the  genealogy.  Where  cities  and  towns  in  New  Hampshire  are  referred 
to,  the  name  of  the  state  is  not  given,  nor  is  it  given,  if  the  city  mentioned 
is  a  well-known  city. 


DANIEL  ADAMS,   M.   D. 


ABBOTT. 

1.  Deacon  Ephraim  Abbott,  b.  December  16,  1742,  m.  Dorothy,  dau. 
of  Caleb  Stiles.  She  was  b.  September  2,  1740.  Deacon  Abbott  lived  on 
the  place  now  occupied  by  Miss  Lizzie  R.  Parker.  He  was  a  Baptist  dea- 
con, and  d.  in  Goffstown,  1827. 

2.  His  son,  Rev.  Samuel  Abbott,  b.  in  Mont  Vernon  in  1777,  m.  in 
1798,  Sarah,  dau.  of  Rev.  John  Rand  of  Lyndeborough.  He  was  pastor 
of  Baptist  churches  at  Middleboro,  Bridgewater  and  Chester,  Mass.,  and 
Londonderry,  N.  H.  He  was  the  inventor  of  "Abbott's  Window  Shades," 
1825,  went  to  Antrim  in  1838  and  bought  an  estate  in  Clinton  Village, 
where  he  remained  until  his  death  in  1853.  Mr.  Abbott  was  wholly  un- 
educated in  the  schools,  but  had  strong  native  abilities,  was  a  good  ser- 
monizer,  and  an  impressive  preacher.  In  style,  he  was  bold,  incisive  and 
logical.  As  a  minister  he  was  honest  and  fearless.  He  never  wrote  a 
sermon.  He  had  nine  children,  one  of  whom,  Rev.  Stephen  G.  Abbott, 
was  b.  in  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  November  9,  1819. 

3.  Sarah,  dau.  of  Deacon  Ephraim  and  Dorothy  Stiles  Abbott,  m. 
Rev.  Jonathan  Rand,  one  of  the  seven  children  of  Rev.  John  Rand,  first 
minister  of  the  Congregational  Church,  Lyndeboro.  They  moved  to  An- 
trim in  1844.     She  d.  in  1848.     They  had  seven  children. 

4.  Rev.  Stephen  G.  Abbott,  son  of  Rev.  Samuel  Abbott,  b.  Bridge- 
water,  Mass.,  November  9,  1819.  He  studied  theology  at  New  Hampton, 
settled  in  Needham,  Mass.,  and  other  places.  He  m.  in  1846  Sarah  B. 
Cheney  of  Holderness.  He  received  the  degree  of  A.  M.  from  Bates 
College  in  1870.     Has  one  child  who  is: 

5.  Hon.  John  T.  Abbott,  b.  Antrim,  1850,  graduated  from  Bates 
College,  1871,  is  now  a  lawyer  in  Keene. 

ADAMS. 

Dr.  Daniel  Adams  was  b.  in  Townsend,  Mass.,  September  9,  1773, 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1797,  and  at  its  medical  school  in  1799. 
After  residing  several  years  at  Leominster  he  removed  to  Boston.  For 
a  period  was  engaged  in  publishing  an  agricultural  journal  in  Boston; 
came  to  reside  in  Mont  Vernon  in  1813,  and  was  employed  in  preparing 
his  various  publications  and  in  his  profession  here  until  his  removal  to 
Keene,  in  1846.  His  "Scholar's  Arithmetic,"  Adams'  "New"  and  "Re- 
vised" all  were  in  very  extensive  use  for  many  years.  He  wrote  and  pub- 
lished several  pamphlets.  Dr.  Adams  was  very  highly  esteemed  in  Mont 
Vernon,  and   during  his  thirty-three  years'   residence  here,   he   wielded  a 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

controlling  influence  in  behalf  of  temperance,  education  and  morality. 
In  1839  and  1840  he  was  a  member  of  the  New  Hampshire  Senate  from 
the  district  where  he  resided.  He  m.  August  17,  1800,  Nancy,  dau.  of  Dr. 
Mulliken  of  Townsend,  Mass.  She  d.  at  Keene  in  1851.  He  d.  at  Keene, 
June  8,  1854,  aged  90  years,  9  months.    Their  ch.  were: 

1.  *Rev.  Darwin  Adams,  b.  Leominster,  Mass.,  October  10,   1801. 

2.  Arabella,  b.  Leominster,  September  9,  1803,  d.  in  infancy. 

3.  Nancy,  b.  Leominster,  July  7,  1810,  d.  June  1,  1820. 

4.  *Dr.  Daniel  Lucius,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  November  1,  1814. 

5.  *Nancy  Ann,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  December  3,  1821. 

Rev.  Darwin  Adams,  eldest  son  Dr.  Adams,  b.  Leominster,  October 
10,  1801,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  1824,  at  Andover  Theological 
Seminary  1827,  m.  October  9,  1828,  Catherine  H.  Smith  of  Hollis,  N.  H., 
who  d.  at  Wellesley  Hills,  Mass.,  July  1897,  aged  95  years.  He  d.  in 
Groton,  Mass.,  August  16,  1889.     Their  children  were: 

1.  George  Darwin,  b.  Camden,  Me.,  April  18,  1830,  m.  Eliza  Ann 
Brown  of  Ohio,  resides  at  Tanesfield,  Ohio. 

2.  *Rev.  Daniel  Emerson  Adams,  b.  Camden,  Me.,  June  22,  1832. 

3.  Mary  Emelia,  b.  Alstead,  N.  H.,  April  1,  1835,  d.  Dunstable, 
Mass.,  July  5,  1855. 

4.  Catharine  Lucretia,  b.  Alstead,  November  12,  1836,  d.  Alstead, 
December  31,  1845. 

5.  John  Smith,  b.  Alstead,  October  7,  1839,  enlisted  in  Company  F., 
Sixth  N.  H.  Regiment  in  1862  as  2nd  Lieutenant,  was  with  Gen.  Burn- 
side  at  Hatteras  Inlet,  and  Roanoke  Island,  was  wounded  in  the  second 
Bull  Run  battle,  and  reported  as  killed,  laid  on  the  field  from  Thursday 
until  Monday  afternoon,  and  lived  to  return  to  his  father's  home  in  Al- 
stead. He  was  afterwards  Commissary  of  Stores  in  Hospitals  at  Brattle- 
boro,  Montpelier  and  Bennington,  Vt.  Was  promoted  to  Captain.  He 
was  at  the  time  of  his  death,  March  11,  1869,  engaged  in  the  wholesale 
linen  business  in  New  York  City.  He  was  in  his  youth  a  student  at 
Appleton  Academy    (McCollom  Institute.). 

Dr.  Daniel  Lucius  Adams,  second  son  of  Dr.  Adams,  was  b.  at  Mont 
Vernon,  November  1,  1814,  graduated  at  Yale  College,  1835,  m.  Cornelia 
A.  Cook  of  New  York  City,  March  7,  1861.  He  d.  at  New  Haven,  Conn., 
January  3,  1899.    Their  ch.  were : 

1.     Charles  C,  b.   Ridgefield,   Conn.,  August  24,  1864,  d.   September  21, 
1864. 

2.  Catharine,  b.  Ridgefield,  Conn.,  May  3,  1866,  m.  April  23,  1896,  Dr. 
William  L  Elkin,  Professor  in  Yale  University. 

3.  Mary  W.,  b.  Ridgefield,  Conn.,  October  15,  1869,  resides  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

4.  Frank  M.,  b.  Ridgefield,  Conn.,  June  7,  1871,  Professor  in  Yale 
University. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  7 

5.  Roger  C,  b.  Ridgefield,  Conn.,  May  1,  1874,  electrician  in  Buffalo, 
N.  Y. 

Nancy  Ann  Adams,  youngest  dau.  of  Dr.  Adams,  b.  Mont  Vernon, 
December  3,  1821,  m.  May  18,  1841,  William  S.  Briggs  of  Keene.  She  d. 
February  14,  1868.     Ch  : 

1.  Daniel  A.  Briggs,  d.  in  infancy. 

2.  William  A.  Briggs,  b.  July  31,  1848,  m.  November  27,  1872, 
Emelia  F.  Whiting  of  Montpelier,  Vt. 

Rev.  Daniel  Emerson  Adams,  second  son  of  Dr.  Darwin  Adams,  b. 
Camden,  Me.,  June  22,  1832,  graduated  Bangor  Theological  Seminary, 
was  settled  over  a  parish  in  Wilton,  N.  H.,  where  he  was  the  beloved 
pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church  many  years.  He  was  then  called  to 
the  pastorate  of  a  church  at  Wellesley  Hills,  Mass.  He  is  now  (1902) 
preaching  in  Mason,  N.  H.  He  was  at  one  time  Supt.  of  Public  Schools 
for  Hillsboro'  County,  m.  (1)  September  16,  1854,  Ellen  F.  Kingsbury 
of  Keene,  who  d.  at  Ashburnham,  May  21,  1882.  He  m.  (2)  Marion  E. 
Center  of  Wilton,  February  28,  1884.    Ch.,  all  by  first  wife,  were : 

1.  Charles  Darwin,  b.  Keene,  October  21,  1856,  m.  August  24,  1881, 
Julia  A.  Stevens  of  Wilton,  graduated  Dartmouth  College,  1877 ;  is  Pro- 
fessor of  Greek  in  Dartmouth  College,  has  three  children. 

2.  Mary  Catherine,  b.  Wilton,  April  7,  1863,  m.  December  4,  1899, 
Rev.  Martin  F.  Nevis,  Pastor  Pilgrim  Congregational  Church,  Southboro', 
Mass.,  1  child. 

3.  George  Wilton,  b.  Wilton,  April  27,  1873,  m.  June  8,  1899,  Grace 
A.  Turner  of  Natick,  Mass.,  has  one  ch.,  residence  Mattapan,  Mass. 

Dea.  Jonathan  S.  Adams,  brother  Dr.  Daniel  Adams,  trader  here 
several  yrs.  He  d.  1867,  age  81.  His  wife  Betsey  W.  Adams  d.  1866, 
age   79. 

ALEXANDER. 

1.  James  Alexander,  b.  in  Londonderry,  April  19,  1802,  m.  (l) 
Eliza  M.  Dickey,  June  14,  1835.  She  was  b.  May  31,  1813,  d.  June  25, 
1854;  m.  (2)  Elizabeth  L.  Reed,  December  1,  1854,  settled  in  the  easterly 
part  of  Mont  Vernon,  adjoining  Amherst,  about  1836.  He  died  July  24, 
1885.     Their  ch.  were  : 

1.  William  E.,  b.  July  13,  1837,  m.  Emma  F.  Keith,  July  5,  1871. 
He  is  a  soap  manufacturer,  resides  on  what  was  formerly  the  Daniel 
Campbell  farm  in  Amherst,  and  has  five  children., 

2.  James  A.,  b.  November  17,  1838,  m.  (1)  Mary  L.  Sargent,  De- 
cember 3,  1860,  resides  in  Boston,  Mass.  He  m  (2)  Evaline  Gusting, 
March  7,  1879. 

3.  John  P.,  b.  April  20,  1840,  d.  September  20,  1863,  Mattoon,  111., 
was  a  member  of  the  Sixteenth  N.  H.  Volunteer  Infantry. 


8  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

4.  Harriet  M.,  b.  April  2,  1842,  m.  Ira  Chase,  October  5,  1862;  resides 
in  Milford. 

5.  Mary  E.,  b.  May  6,  1844,  m.  William  D.  Robbins  of  Brookline,  N. 
H.,  April  23,  1884,  one  daughter. 

6.  Sarah  J.,  b.  January  6,  1846,  m.  January  1,  1867,  John  T.  Grafton 
of  Milford.     They  have  two  sons. 

7.  Ellen  F.,  b.  March  6,  1850,  m.  Edward  Cloutman  of  Lynn,  Mass., 
December  17,  1879.    She  d.  at  Milford,  a  widow,  March  6,  1893. 

8.  Daniel  C.  Alexander  came  to  Mont  Vernon  from  Nashua  in  1896, 
and  has  since  resided  in  the  East  District.  He  was  b.  in  Vermont,  Janu- 
ary 25,  1865,  m.  May  30,  1891,  Mary  Alice  Grant  of  Craftsbury,  Vt.  She 
was  b.  February  16,  1866. 

ALCOTT. 

Gilman  Alcott,  son  of  Benj.  Alcott,  a  native  of  Bedford  (now  West 
Manchester),  moved  here  from  Lowell  in  1843,  and  bought  the  Goodrich 
farm  (now  belonging  to  Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Tarbell).  He  was  a  tin  pedler. 
He  removed  to  Lowell  in  1848  and  d.  there  September  11,  1858,  aged  47 
years.  He  m.  (1)  June  24,  1S37,  Lucy  Ann,  dau.  of  Ezra  and  Rebecca 
Langdell  of  this  town.  She  was  b.  August  6,  1814,  d.  March  12,  1838.  He 
m.  (2)  Mary  F.  Langdell,  sister  of  his  first  wife.  She  was  b.  April  6, 
1829.     By  his  second  wife  he  had  children. 

ANDERSON. 

Edwin  L.  Anderson,  b.  Limington,  Me.,  October  20,  1853,  m. 
Abbie  C.  Leavitt,  August,  1880.  She  was  b.  in  Tuftonboro',  N.  H.,  De- 
cember 28,  1862.  Mr.  Anderson  and  family  came  from  Parsonsfield, 
Me.,  to  Mont  Vernon  in  August,  1897.  He  works  on  the  Edward  H.  Best 
farm  in  the  East  District,  and  resides  in  East  District.  Their  children 
were : 

1.  Jessie  May,  b.   Parsonsfield,   November   18,   1882. 

2.  Annie  Ruth,  b.  Parsonsfield,  October  20,  1886. 

3.  Marion  Mabel,  b.  Parsonsfield,  November  30,  1895. 

4.  Grace  Verna,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  September  3,  1898,  d.  January  26, 
1900. 

Mr.  D.  A.  Anderson,  a  native  of  Goffstown,  N.  H.,  a  graduate  of 
Dartmouth,  was  the  ninth  principal  of  McCollom  Institute,  remaining  two 
years,  from  1870  to  1872. 

AVERILL 

John  Averill,  the  ancestor  of  all  the  name  in  Mont  Vernon,  was  b.  in 
Middleton,  Mass.,  June  2,  1740,  m.  Mary  Bradford,  dau.  of  William  and 
Mary  Lambert  Bradford  (Bradford  was  the  ancestor  of  the  Mont  Vernon 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  '.) 

Bradford*).  She  was  b.  in  1741.  They  came  to  what  is  now  Mont  Ver- 
non in  1763.  He  d.  May  21,  1815,  aged  75.  His  wife  d.  August  21,  1814, 
aged  73.     Their  children  were  : 

1.  Naomi. 

2.  *Daniel. 

3.  Mary  m.  Benjamin  Simonds  of  Mont  Vernon,  whither  he  re- 
moved to  Antrim  in  1793.  They  had  eight  children,  of  whom  four  were 
born  in  Mont  Vernon,  and  four  in  Antrim. 

4.  Anna,  m.  McAllister. 

5.  *John,    Jr.,   b.    October    13,    1767. 

6.  *Jesse,  b.   1772,  d.   March  2,   1840,  aged  67. 

7.  *Levi. 

Daniel  Averill,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Bradford)  Averill,  m.  (1) 
April  24,  1783,  Mary,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Hartshorn)  Weston. 
She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  February  20,  1766.  He  m.  (,2)  April  26,  1827, 
Mrs.  Manning.  He  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and  d.  in  Barre, 
Vt.,  April  21,  1848,  aged  86  yrs.  He  lived  on  the  Odell  farm  in  West 
District   (now  J.  Hazens).     He  had  several  ch.  all  by  first  wife,  of  them: 

1.  Mary,  b.  Oct.  26,  17S3,  m.  May  16,  1805,  *David  Smith  of  Mont 
Vernon,   d.   Aug.   25,   1864. 

Of  his  sons  : 

David  W.,  m.  Aug.  27,  1809,  Submit  French  (sister  of  Abraham  and 
Dolly   French). 

Daniel  m.  July  17,  1809,  Dolly  French  (sister  Abraham  and  Submit 
French).  Both  sons  settled  in  Barre,  Vt.,  and  among  their  descendants 
are  prominent  merchants  of  that  city. 

Sylvia,  a  dau.,  m.  Nov.  11,  1824,  *Timothy  Baldwin.  She  d.  March 
28,   1867,  age  62  years,  6  months. 

John  Averill,  Jr.,  son  of  John  and  Mary  Averill,  b.  Oct.  13,  1767, 
d.  Oct.  26,  1844,  m.  Anna,  dau.  of  James  and  Hannah  (Trask)  Woodbury. 
She  was  b.  Aug:  4,  1774,  d.  May  9,  1858.  They  lived  in  the  west  part  of 
the  town,  near  Beech  Hill.     Their  children  were: 

1.  Nancy,  b.  Feb.  19,  1792,  m.  Asa  Wallace  of  Milford,  Aug.  16, 
1814,  who  d.  in  Tennessee,  Feb.  5,  1815.  Mrs.  W.,  afterwards  m.  William 
Bradford  of  Goshen,  and  d.  Aug.  13,  1837,  aged  45,  leaving  one  child, 
Asa  Wallace. 

2.  Betsey,  b.  Feb.  7,  1794,  m.  Levi  Trow  of  Mont  Vernon,  May  5, 
1812.     They  moved  to  Goshen. 

3.  *John,  b.   March   10,   1796. 

4.  Bernard,  b.  April  26,  1798,  m.  Harriet  Richardson,  Nov.  4,  1829, 
settled  and  d.  in  Farmington,  N.  H.,  leaving  five  daughters  and  two  sons. 

5.  Hannah,  b.   May  13,   1800,  d.  July  23,   1803. 

6.  Mary,  b.  July  13,  1802,  m.  Nathaniel  Cutter  of  Jaffrey,  N.  H., 
Oct.  11,  1827. 


10  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

7.  Hannah,  b.  Jan.  7,  1805,  m.  William  Butterfield  of  New  Boston, 
Dec.  26,   1835.     She  d.   Oct.   13,   1890,  leaving  four  children. 

8.  Fanny,  b.  June  5,   1807,  d.  June  6,   1814. 

9.  Lucretia,  b.  March  5,  1809,  m.  Joel  W.  Duncklee  of  Milford, 
March  8,  1832.     She  d.  Aug.  25,  1844,  leaving  seven  children. 

10.  *Trask  Woodburv   b.  March  20,  1841. 

Jesse  Averill,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Bradford)  Averill,  b.  1772, 
d.  March  2,  1840,  age  67  years.  He  d.  at  small  house  near  Henry  F. 
Dodge's  old  farm.  He  m.  (1)  *Sarah,  dau.  Andrew  Leavitt.  He  m.  (2) 
Dec.  4,  1825,   Abigail   Swinnington    (sister   Elisha  and  Job   Swinnington). 

Children  by  first  wife : 

1.  Joseph,  settled  in  Lowell. 

2.  *Jesse,    b.    1799. 

3.  Franklin,  m.  Flanders,  4  children :   three  daughters  and  one 

son. 

4.  Chili,  b.  1805,  d.  Coburg,  Ontario,  Oct.  11,  1884,  aged  78  yrs. 

5.  William,   d.    Merrill,   Wis.,   1885,  age   78. 

6.  Chandler,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  July  6,  1853,  aged  43.  He  was  a  soldier 
in  the  Mexican  War.    He  left  one  son. 

7.  Jonathan,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  May  28,  1831,  age  19  years,  4  months. 

8.  A  dau.  Sarah  of  Jesse  and  Sarah  (Leavitt)  Averill,  m.  Dr. 
Abram  McMillen  of  New  Boston. 

Children  by  second  wife  : 

9.  Miles,  d.  July  4,  1847,  aged  26. 

10.  Rensalaer,  left  home  when  about  18,  and  was  never  heard  from. 

Levi  Averill,  youngest  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Bradford)  Averill, 
m.  Mary  Jones  of  Wilton.  He  lived  in  the  West  District,  on  the  place 
now  occupied  by  George  Stearns.  He  d.  Aug.  31,  1868,  age  85.  She  d. 
November  28,  1864,  age  80.     Their  children  were : 

1.  Mary  Bishop,  b.  Feb.  19,  1804,  m.  Thomas  Dunlap  of  Antrim. 
He  d.  Aug.  17,  1865,  aged  62.  She  d.  June  18,  1874,  age  70.  They  had 
thirteen  children. 

2.  Hiram,  b.  Oct.  21,  1805,  d.  Warren,  R.  I.,  Feb.  1,  1886,  aged  80. 
He  was  a  brush  manufacturer  in  Charlestown,  Mass.,  of  the  firm  of 
Averill  and  Hunting. 

3.  Lucinda,  b.  Sept.  8,  1809,  m.  Nov.  16,  1829,  Alexander  Jameson  of 
Antrim.     She  d.  Nov.  26,  1843,  aged  34,  leaving  three  daughters,  viz : 

1.  Mary  R.,  m.  D.  F.  French  of  Washington,  N.  H.,  d.  three  weeks 
after  marriage. 

2.  Anne  W.,  m.  Harris  E.  Cutter,  lives  in  Chicago. 

3.  Emily  S.,  d.  1869,  aged  27. 

4.  Lucy,  m.  Sumner  French,  lived  in  Milford. 

5.  Mark,  settled  in  Tewksbury,   Mass. 

6  and  7.     Nancy  and  Hannah,  twins.     Nancv  m. Carter,  lived  in 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  11 

Somervillc,  Mass.     Hannah  m.   (1)  Clough,  (2)  Seaver  of  En- 
field, N.  H. 

8.  John  P.,  graduated  Dartmouth  College,  was  for  many  years  prin- 
cipal of  the  Chapman  School,  East  Boston,  Mass.,  is  now  living  in  Con- 
cord, N.  H.     Has  two  children. 

9.  Thomas,  lived  in  New  Boston  and  Francestown,  d.  in  Frances- 
town. 

10.  Levi,  b.  April,   1821,   d.   May  26,   1892. 

John  Averill,  son  of  John  and  Anna  (Woodbury-)  Averill,  b.  March 
10,  1796,  m.  (1)  Dec.  15,  1825,  Hannah,  dau.  of  Abraham  and  Naomi 
French.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon.  Jan.  9,  1804,  d.  July  10,  1855.  He  m.  (2) 
Dec.  1856,  Dorcas  Smiley.  She  d.  March  21,  1885,  age  71.  He  d.  May 
3,  1883,  age  87  years.  He  lived  on  the  farm,  now  of  Henry  H.  Trow, 
but  moved  to  the  village,  where  he  died.  His  children,  all  by  his  first 
wife  were  born  at   Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  Charles  Frank,  b.  Nov.  4,  1826,  now  living  unm.  in  California, 
where  he  emigrated  in  1850. 

2.  *George  Woodbury,  b.  March  10,  1829. 

3.  Harriet  Frances,  b.   Dec.  31,   1830,  d.  April  16,   1850,  unm. 

4.  Caroline  S.,  b.  Nov.  15,  1832,  m.  Sept.  22,  1859,  *Benjamin  F. 
Davis,  resides  Mont  Vernon. 

Trask  W.  Averill,  youngest  child  of  John  and  Anna  (Woodbury) 
Averill,  b.  March  20,  1811,  m.  (1)  Hannah  W.,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Sally 
(Smith)  Perkins,  April  9,  1835.  She  was  b.  April  24,  1816,  d.  May  2, 
1849.  He  m.  (2)  Oct.  11,  1849,  Hannah,  dau.  of  Silas  and  Martha  (Far- 
num)  Wilkins.  She  was  b.  May  11,  1816,  d.  Feb.  28,  1900.  He  d.  May 
26,  1899.  He  resided  in  the  North  District  for  many  years.  His  children 
by  first  wife  were  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  Sarah  Frances,  b.  March  24,  1836,  m.  Oct.  19,  1858,  Capt.  Brown 
Flanders  of  Boston.     She  d.  Sept.  15,  1881.     She  left  one  dau.  Lilla. 

2.  Nancy  Maria,  b.  May  21,  1838,  m.  (l)  *Plumer  Jones,  by  whom 
she  had  one  son.  She  m.  (2)  his  brother  *Solomon  Jones,  by  whom  she 
had  one  dau.  and  two  sons.     She  d.  Nov.  16,  1876. 

3.  Emily  Caroline,  b.  Jan.  3,  1840,  m.  (1)  Mr.  Hutchinson,  m.  (2) 
Frank  H.  Hopkins.     She  d.  Feb.  15,  1900,  leaving  no  children. 

4.  *Woodbury  T.,  b.  Sept.  6,  1841. 

5.  Josephine  Eliza,  b.  Sept.  23,  1843,  m.  (1)  1867,  *Stephen  G. 
Clement,  m.  (2)  Frank  Brooks  of  Greenfield,  Sept.  23,  1892.  She  d., 
Greenfield,  May  20,  1901,  leaving  one  daughter,  Gertrude  E.  Clement. 

6.  Mary  Henrietta,  b.  May  27,  1846,  m.  Samuel  Leadbetter  of  East 
Boston,   Mass.     They  had  one  son,  William.     She  d.   Aug.  27,  1882. 

7.  Franklin  Perkins,  b.  April  6,  1849,  now  (1902)  resides  in  Mont 
Vernon,  has  spent  many  years  in  California. 

By  his  second  wife  : 

8.  *Charles  Eugene,  b.  August  6,  1855. 


12  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Jesse  Averill,  Jr.,  son  of  Jesse  and  Sarah  (Leavitt)  Averill,  b.  1799, 
m.  1820,  Eliza,  dau.  of  Lot  Conant.  He  d.  May  24,  1850,  age  51  years. 
She  d.  May  21,  1872,  age  67.     Their  children  were: 

1.  Joanna  G.,  b.  Jan.  12,  1821,  m.  1843,  Jeremiah  O.  Pulsifer  of  Man- 
chester.    She  d.  July  22,  1855,  no  children. 

2.  Eliza  M.,  b.  1824,  m.  *Newell  D.  Foster,  June  10,  1846,  d.  June 
5,   1852,   age   28,   three   children. 

3.  Charlotte  W.,  b.  Sept.  6,  1827,  m.  George  H.  Chandler  of  Man- 
chester.    She  d.  January  3,  1854. 

4.  *Joseph  Woodbury,  b.  Dec.  1,  1829. 

5.  George  G.,  b.  Feb.  8,  1831,  m.  March  9,  1868,  Sarah  L.,  dau.  of 
Benjamin  F.  and  Betsey  (Buss)  Marden.  She  was  b.  May  9,  1835,  no  ch. 
He  was  in  the  13th  N.  H.  Reg't  in  Civil  War.  Farmer,  residence  Mont 
Vernon  Village. 

fi.     Almira  J.,  m.   James   Gilmore  of   Manchester,   not   living. 

7.  Mary  M.,  b.  July,  1840,  m.  Orville  B.  Stevens,  d.  May  1,  1870, 
age  29  years,  9  months.     He  d.  Jan.  30,  1869,  age  29  years,  5  months. 

8.  Angelia  M.,  b.  1S35,  m.  Jonathan  F.  Williams  of  Lowell.  She  d. 
April  15,  1898,  age  53  years,  11  months;  one  son,  George. 

George  Woodbury  Averill,  son  of  John  and  Hannah  (French) 
Averill,  b.  March  10,  1839,.  m.  Nov.  10,  1857,  Nancy  E.,  dau.  of  William 
and  Serviah  Lamson.  She  was  b.  Oct.  7,  1827.  He  has  been  repeatedly 
elected  selectman  of  this  town  and  is  an  industrious  and  skillful  farmer. 
Their  children  are: 

1.  Ella  Augusta,  b.  Nov.  2,  1858,  attended  Wellesley  College  two 
years,  was  for  three  years  a  teacher  in  South  Africa,  m.  Dec.  25,  1889, 
Henry  F.  Robinson  of  Hancock,  has  four  children,  resides  in  Hancock. 

2.  Carrie  Frances,  b.  Aug.  24,  1861,  m.  *Charles  H.  Trow  of  Mont 
Vernon,  Dec.  19,  1882,  one  son. 

3.  George  Franklin,  b.  April  18,  1866,  m.  Oct.  26,  1893,  Fanny  L., 
dau.  of  John  A.  and  Amanda  (Wilson)  Carleton  of  Mont  Vernon.  He  is 
an  enterprising  and  successful  merchant  of  Milford,  N.  H. 

Woodbury  T.,  son  of  Trask  W.  and  Hannah  (Perkins)  Averill,  b. 
Sept.  6,  1841,  m.  Rebecca,  dau.  of  George  Jones  of  New  Boston.  She  d. 
West  Medford,  Mass.,  March  23,  1885,  age  35.  He  lived  in  Hancock  from 
1873  to  1877,  went  to  Manchester,  thence  to  Boston,  where  he  d.  Feb.  23, 
1895,  age  53.  He  was  a  massage  physician,  also  a  great  hunter  and  fisher. 
Their  children  were: 

1.  Belle,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  31,  1867,  m.  Albert  Shepard  of  Ips- 
wich, Mass. 

2.  Alonzo  W.,  b.  Hancock,  Nov.  14,  1868,  resides  in  Boston. 

3.  Willie,  b.  April  4,  1877,  d.  Dec.  26,  1895. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  13 

Charles  E.  Averill,  son  of  Trask  W.  and  Hannah  (Wilkins)  Averill,  b. 
Aug.  6,  1855,  m.  Sept.  1,  1875,  Ruth  A.,  only  child  of  Almus  and  Lydia  A. 
Fairfield  of  Antrim.  She  was  b.  Nov.  12,  1853.  He  d.  Nashua,  Sept.  20, 
1883,  leaving  one  son,  Ernest. 

Joseph  W.  Averill,  son  of  Jesse  and  Eliza  (Conant)  Averill,  b.  Dec. 
1,  1829,  m.  Sabrina  F.,  dan.  of  Timothy  and  Sylvia  (Averill)  Baldwin, 
Dec.  3.  1857.  She  was  b.  March  15,  183G,  d.  June  16,  1896.  He  has  been 
five  years  selectman,  and  is  respected  by  all.     They  had  one  son. 

1.  Chester  B.,  b.  Jan.  17,  1867,  m.  Oct.  19,  1S92,  to  Edith  Leonard  of 
Warren,  N.   H.     They  reside  in  Warren,  N.  H.,   and  have  one  daughter. 

James  J.  Averill,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Anna  (Johnson)  Averill,  b. 
Milford,  Aug.  6,  1778,  m.  March  3,  1807,  Lucy  Wallace  Burnham  of  Mil- 
ford,  b.  March  20,  17S5,  d.  Jan.  16,  1855.  He  lived  for  many  years  in  the 
South  District  on  the  farm  known  as  "Chas.  H.  Raymond's  old  farm."  He 
d.  here  July  11,  1867.     Children: 

1.  Mary  Ann,  b.  Milford,  June  1,  1809,  d.  unm.  in  Mont  Vernon,  May 
24,  1883. 

2.  Lucy  B.,  b.  Oct.  4,  1816,  in  Mont  Vernon,  m.  1844,  *Stephen  C. 
Langdell.     She  d.   Feb.  9,  1903.     Four  children. 

3.  Helen  M.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  15,  1827,  m.  March  28,  1847, 
*Joseph  Fitch  Crosby.     She  d.  Milford,  Nov.  14,  1879. 

Granville  C.  Averill,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  21,  1832,  was  reared  in  the 
family  of  his  grandfather,  James  Hopkins,  m.  1867,  Nancy  Jane,  only  ch. 
of  George  and  Hannah  P.  (Stearns)  Green.  She  was  b.  Feb.  8,  1843,  d. 
Dec.  4,  1900.  He  d.  June  24,  1901.  They  lived  in  the  West  District. 
Their  children  were : 

1.  *Edward  G.,  b.  April  6,  1868,  New  Boston. 

2.  Rufus  G.,  1).  Jan.  6,  1876,  resides  Mont  Vernon. 

3.  Hannah  J.,  b.  June  29,  1878,  m.  (1)  Dec.  15,  1895,  Walter  J. 
Blanchard,  by  whom  she  had  one  son,  m.  (2)  George  Page,  1901,  d.  July 
18,  1901. 

Edward  G.  Averill,  son  of  G.  C.  and  N.  J.  (Green)  Averill,  b.  April 
6,  1868,  at  New  Boston,  m.  March  9,  1892,  Mrs.  Abbie  M.  (Pollard) 
Pease.     She   was  b.   Jan.   27,   1871.     They   reside   in    Mont   Vernon.      Ch : 

1.  Eva  Belle  Pease  (Mrs.  Averill's  ch.  by  first  husband),  b.  Epping, 
Feb.  2,  1890. 

2.  Ina  May,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  1893. 

Moses  Averill,  Jr.,  was  a  son  of  Moses,  who  was  a  son  of  Ebenezer, 
who  was  the  first  Averill  to  settle  in  Milford.  He  was  b.  in  Mont  Ver- 
non, Jan.  26,  1785.  Came  from  New  Boston  to  Milford  in  1824,  d.  Mil- 
ford, July  14,  1861,  m.  Sally  Odell,  June  6,  1811.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon, 
Feb.  21,  1787,  d.  Milford,  Nov.  30,  1873.     Ch: 


14  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.  Sophronia,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  4,  1811,  m.  Oct.  11,  1832,  John 
B.  Wilson  of  Canaan,  d.  Oct.  18,  1897. 

2.  Sarah  L.,  b.  Sept.  16,  1813,  m.  1834,  Joseph  P.  Myrick,  resided 
Cleveland,  O.,  d.  March,  1891. 

3.  Clementine,  b.  Aug.  9,  1815,  resided  Valrico,  Fla. 

4.  Abby  L.  O.,  b.  New  Boston,  May  5,  1820,  m.  1850,  resided  Cleve- 
land, Ohio. 

5.  Calvin  H.,  b.  New  Boston,  Dec.  29,  1822.  Came  to  Milford  in 
1824  with  his  father,  was  a  matchmaker,  m.  Sept.  1848,  Mary  B.,  dau.  of 
Amos  and  Mary  (Burns)  Gutterson,  b.  Milford,  March  27,  1831,  d.  April 
30,  1865,  one  dau. 

6.  Clementine  Elexene,  b.  Milford,  March  9,  1850,  m.  Herbert  O. 
Lilly,  resided  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

BAKER. 

Daniel  W.  Baker,  b.  Stoddard,  N.  H.,  June  13,  1795,  m.  (1)  Desire 
Rose,  dau.  of  Abraham  Rose  of  Lyndeborough,  Nov.,  1823.  She  was  b. 
Nov.  5,  1802,  d.  June  30,  1828,  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Delinda  Dutton,  Jan.  6,  1851. 
She  d.  March  29,  1862,  m.  (3)  Mrs.  Helena  C.  Atherton  of  Nashua,  Sept. 
8,  1863.  He  d.  at  Nashua,  Jan.  11,  1865.  He  was  appointed  postmaster  in 
1829,  serving  as  such  until  1832.  He  was  Representative  to  the  Legisla- 
ture in  1834-1835.     By  his  first  wife  he  had  one  child. 

1.  Daniel  Rose  Baker,  b.  June  17,  1828,  m.  Dec.  20,  1860,  Mary  E., 
dau.  of  Milton  and  Sophronia  (Trow)  McCollom.  She  was  b.  May  5, 
1860.  He  was  postmaster  from  1835  to  1842  and  from  1853  to  1861.  He  d. 
July  25,  1879,  aged  51  years.    They  had  no  children. 

BALDWIN. 

Timothy  Baldwin,  b.  Billerica,  Mass.,  Oct.  11,  1791,  m.  (1)  Sally 
Marshall,  June,  1815.  She  d.  May  21,  1824,  age  32  years.  He  m.  (2) 
Sylvia,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Weston)  Averill,  Nov.  11,  1824.  She  d. 
March  28,  1867,  age  62  years,  6  months.  He  d.  May  25,  1869.  His  ch., 
five  by  his  first  wife,  were : 

1.  Lydia  J.,  b.  June  30,  1816,  Mt.  Vernon,  m.  *Wm.  Harrison  Smith. 
She  d.  April  26,   1868,  leaving  three   daughters. 

2.  Ruth  A.,  b.  Sept.  19,  1818,  Mt.  Vernon,  d.  Dec.  22,  1853,  unm. 

3.  Hannah,  b.  April  14,  1820,  Mt.  Vernon,  d.  April  7,  1861,  unm. 

4.  Samuel  B.,  b.  Jan.  1,  1822,  Mt.  Vernon,  d.  Sept.  18,  1822. 

5.  John  B.,  b.  Aug.  8,  1823,  Mt  Vernon,  d.  Nov.  20,  1823. 
By  his  second  wife  he  had : 

6.  Sarah  C,  b.   Sept.  27,  1830,   Mt.  Vernon,  d.   March  3,  1&2. 

7.  Mary  A.,  b.  Aug.  2,  1832,  Mt.  Vernon,  d.  Aug.  21,   1834. 

8.  Sabrina  Frances,  b.  March  15,  1836,  Mont  Vernon,  m.  *Joseph  G. 
Averill.  Dec.  3,  1857.     She  d.  June  16,  1896,  leaving  one  son. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  15 

Samuel  Baldwin  owned  and  occupied  the  farm  now  of  E.  C.  Flanders. 
He  was  b.  Wilmington.  Mass.,  Sept.  7,  1789,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  July  8,  1856, 
m.  Mary  Dane,  Feb.  1,  1816.  She  was  b.  Chelmsford,  Mass.,  April  18, 
1794,  d.  Bedford,  Nov.  23,  1874.     Children  : 

1.  Samuel  Dane,  b.  Oct.  4,  1817,  m.  (1)  June  3,  1840,  Clarissa  Hild- 
reth.  She  d.  July  24.  1852,  m.  (2)  Sarah  S.  Sanders,  Sept.  28.  1853,  re- 
sided Nashua.     He  d.  Feb.  18,  1885. 

2.  Silas  H.,  b.  June  20,  1819,  d.  Dec.  13,  1844. 

3.  William  O.,  minister,  b.  Aug.  25,  1821,  m.  (  1 )  Oct.  4,  1854,  Mary 
Proctor.  She  d.  Jan.  24,  1872.  He  m.  (2)  Letty  A.  Gilman.  He  graduated 
Amherst  College,  settled  in  Central  New  York  as  a  Presbyterian  clergy- 
man, and  d.  there. 

4.  Jonathan  N.,  b.  Jan.  19,  1824,  d.  Oct.  12,  1825. 

5.  Mary,  b.  June  26,  1826,  m.  Daniel  K.  Mack  of  Manchester,  Oct. 
8,   1856. 

6.  Susan  A.,  b.  Francestown,  Nov.  2,  1828,  m.  Leonard  C.  Farwell, 
Dec.  10,  1856,  resided  Temple,  d.  Sept.  4,  1895,  3  children. 

7.  Sophia  J.,  b.  Dec.  23,  1830,  d.  March  17,  1832. 

8.  Sophia   M.,  b.   July  18,   1832,   unm. 

9.  Charles  H.,  b.  March  7,  1835,  d.  May  20,  1836. 

10.  Almira  J.,  b.  March  25,  1838,  m.  Isaac  G.  Wheeler,  Jan.  12,  1864, 
d.  Allston,  Mass.,  March  26,  1895. 

BANCROFT. 

Stowell  Bancroft,  b.  Groton,  Mass.,  April  11,  1799,  m.  Martha  D., 
dau.  of  Joseph  and  Betsey  (Perkins)  Trow,  July  3,  1825.  She  was  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  7,  1796,  d.  Dec.  15,  1876.  He  was  a  brick-mason,  and 
lived  in  the  North  District.  He  d.  at  Lancaster,  Mass.,  Feb.  14,  1883,  age 
83.     Their  children  were: 

1.  Emily,  b.  Lowell,  Mass.,  July  29,  1826,  m.  John  P.  Batchelder  of 
Lowell,  d.  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  Dec.  29,  1826,  leaving  four  children. 

2.  Andrew  J.,  b.  Dunstable,  Mass.,  April  28,  1829,  m.  Mary  A. 
Clough  of  Lowell.  He  is  a  prominent  and  wealthy  citizen  of  Lancaster, 
Mass.  They  have  five  children,  viz. :  Edward  E.  M.  Bancroft,  M.  D. ; 
William  L.,  lumber  dealer;  George  A.  Bancroft,  M.  D. ;  Charles  G.,  a 
lawyer;  Martha  S.,  a  teacher. 

3.  Sabrina  F..  b.  Amherst,  Aug.  28,  1831,  lives  unm.  in  Lancaster, 
Mass. 

4.  William  H.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  10,  1833,  m.  Martha  Varney 
of  Lowell,  lives  in  Lancaster,  Mass.,  has  three  children,  two  sons  and 
one  daughter. 

5.  Charles  B.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  4,  1838,  m.  Eunice  Billings  of 
Newton,  Mass.,  has  ch.,  resides  in  Lunenburg,  Mass.,  d.  June  3,  1903. 


16  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Dr.  Cecil  Franklin  Patch  Bancroft,  son  of  Dea.  James  and  Sarah  W. 
(Kendall)  Bancroft  of  New  Ipswich,  N.  H.,  was  b.  in  that  town,  Nov. 
25,  1839.  He  fitted  for  college  at  Appleton  Academy,  New  Ipswich, 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1860.  He  came  here  in  Aug.,  1860, 
as  Principal  of  Appleton  Academy  (now  McCollom  Institute),  remain- 
ing four  years.  He  was  young,  genial  and  enthusiastic,  with  conceded 
ability  and  soundness  in  judgment.  He  graduated  at  Andover  Theological 
Seminary,  1867,  was  ordained  at  Mont  Vernon,  1867.  He  then  went 
to  take  charge  of  Robert  College  on  Lookout  Mountain,  Tenn.  He  re- 
mained there  five  years.  In  1873  he  was  chosen  Principal  of  Phillips 
Andover  Academy,  which  position  he  filled  with  eminent  success  until 
his  death,  Oct.  4,  1901.  He  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy 
from  New  York  State  University,  1874,  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws 
from  Yale  University  in  1892.  He  was  appointed  a  trustee  of  Dart- 
mouth College  in  1897.  He  was  one  of  the  most  accomplished  educators 
in  America,  and  prepared  for  college  a  larger  number  of  boys  than  any 
other  American  teacher,  by  whom  he  was  universally  beloved  and  honored. 
He  was  a  man  of  rare  insight  and  wonderful  business  ability.  One  of 
his  townsmen  said  of  him,  "Had  Dr.  Bancroft  been  a  business  man,  he 
would  have  become  a  millionaire."  He  had  a  gracious  kindly  manner, 
and  was  ever  courteous  to  all. 

In  Andover,  he  won  his  way  up  to  being  "the  first  citizen  of  the 
town."  He  was  a  man  of  tireless  energy,  and  wrought  so  intensely  as  to 
probably  shorten  his  life.  He  d.  Oct.  4,  1901,  loved  and  esteemed  by  all 
who  knew  him.  For  several  summers  preceding  his  death,  he  made  his 
summer  home  at  "The  Hearthstone,"  and  ever  manifested  a  cordial  in- 
terest in  the  welfare  of  Mont  Vernon.  May  6,  1867,  he  m.  Frances 
Adelia,  dau.  of  Capt.  Timothy  and  Frances  (Marsh)  Kittredge,  an  ac- 
complished and  lovely  lady.  She  was  b.  Feb.  15,  1844,  d.  at  Andover, 
Mass.,  March  29,  1898.     Their  children  are: 

1.  Cecil  Kittredge,  b.  Dec.  15,  1868;  is  a  Professor  in  Yale  University. 

2.  Frances  Marsh,  b.  Sept.  12,  1872,  m.  Sept.  5,  1900,  Rev.  William 
J.  Long  of  Stamford,  Conn.,  has  one  daughter. 

3.  Arthur  Kendall,  b.  March   10,  1874,  d.  Aug.  9,  1880. 

4.  Phillips,  b.  April  21,  1878. 

5.  Mary   Ethel,   b.    May  22,   1882. 


BATCHELDER. 

Ebenezer   Batchelder,  b.   Nov.   24,   1710,   m.   Jerusha   Kimball   in   1740, 
settled  in  Wenham,  Mass.     Their  children  were: 

1.  Anna,  b.  1741. 

2.  Mary,   b.    1743. 

3.  Lydia,  b.   1745. 

4.  Jerusha,  b.  1747. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  17 

5.  *Ebenezer,  b.  Nov.  5,  1750,  settled  in  Amherst  (now  Mont  Ver- 
non). 

6.  Elizabeth,  b.  Jan.  25,  1753. 

7.  *John,  b.  Aug.  16,  1755,  settled  in  Amherst  (now  Mont  Vernon). 

8.  Mehitable,  b.  March  9,  1761. 

9.  Samuel,  b.  June  15,  1763. 

*Ebenezer  Batchelder,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Jerusha  (Kimball) 
Batchelder,  b.  Wenham,  Mass.,  Nov.  5,  1750,  m.  Elizabeth  (Thompson) 
Sherwin.  He  settled  in  the  East  District,  Mont  Vernon  about  1778,  where 
he  d.  April  24,  1849,  aged  98  years.  She  d.  March  10,  1841,  aged  85 
years.     Their  children  were  : 

Children  probably  b.   Mt.  Vernon. 

1.  Betsey,  b.  July  18,  1779,  m.  David  Wiley,  d.  in  Landgrove,  Vt. 

2.  Joseph,  b.  Nov.  21,  1781,  m.  Anna  Cochran,  lived  in  Landgrove, 
Vt.,  and  afterward  in  Illinois. 

3.  *Ebenezer,  b.   March   16,  1783. 

4.  Fanny,  b.  July  8,  1785,  m.  *Robert  Parker,  May  29,  1806,  d.  in 
Landgrove,  Vt. 

5.  Lydia,  b.  Nov.  21,  1786,  m.  Benjamin  Wilkins,  Nov.  27,  1806,  d.  in 
Hillsborough. 

6.  Mehitable,   b.   Aug.   25,   1788,   m.   *Isaac   Weston. 

7.  *Reuben  Kimball,  b.  Feb.  7,  1790. 

8.  *Ezra,   b.    March    2,    1792. 

9.  Atness,  b.  April  5,  1794,  m.  *William  Coggin,  2nd,  Dec,  1814,  set- 
tled in   Mt.  Vernon,  d.  Oct.   4,  1835. 

10.  Levi,  b.  March  10,  1797,  m.  Mary  Peabody,  d.  Landgrove,  Vt., 
Aug.  10,  1856,  father  of  E.  C.  Batchelder,  who  was  a  well  known  mer- 
chant of   Milford. 

Capt.  John  Batchelder,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Jerusha  (Kimball) 
Batchelder,  b.  Wenham,  Mass.,  Aug.  16,  1755,  m.  his  second  cousin  Betsey 
or  Elizabeth  Batchelder,  dau.  of  Amos  Batchelder  of  Woburn,  Mass. 
She  was  b.  Nov.  20,  1758,  d.  April  15,  1815.  Capt.  Batchelder  settled  in 
Mont  Vernon  in  the  East  Ditsrict,  on  the  farm  now  (1902)  owned  by 
Edward  H.  Best.  He  represented  the  town  1808,  1809,  1810.  He  d.  Dec. 
8,  1848.     Their  children  were  b.  in   Mt.  Vernon. 

1.  *John,  b.  July  6,  1780. 

2.  Israel,  b.  Oct.  18,  1782,  m.  July  28,  1805,  Abigail  Wiley.  He  d. 
Peru,  Vt.,  Aug.  31,  1858.  She  d.  April  20,  1842.  Had  two  daughters, 
Mary  Jane  and  Abigail. 

3.  Betsey,  b.  Jan.  19,  1785,  m.  John  Haseltine  of  Amherst,  Dec.  25, 
1805.     She  d.  April  20,   1842,  had  eight  children. 

4.  *Edmund,   b.   Aug.    5,    1787. 

5.  Nancy,  b.  Oct.  19,  1789,  m.  Dec.  26,  1808,  Robert  Wasnn,  settled  in 


18  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

New  Boston,  d.  July  28,  1863,  had  nine  children,  viz. :   Elbridge,  Louisa, 
Hiram,  Nancy,  Mary,  Robert  B.,  Adeline,  Caroline,  George  Austin. 

6.  *Lydia,  b.  Feb.  11,  1792,  m.  her  cousin  *Ezra  Batchelder,  d.  Sept. 
29,  1882. 

7.  *Perley,  b.  July  26,  1794. 

8.  *Relief,  b.  Dec.  16,  1796,  m.  Sept.  2,  1830,  *Dea.  Josiah  Kittredge, 
of  Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  July  19,  1868. 

9.  *Amos,  b.  June  4,  1799. 

10.  Cyrene,  b.  Oct.  17,  1803,  m.  May  10,  1832,  *Ira  Kendall.  She  d. 
Goffstown,   Dec.   16,   1872. 

Ebenezer  Batchelder,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Elizabeth  Batchelder,  b. 
March  16,  1783,  m.  June  30,  1811,  Rachel,  dau.  of  Timothy  and  Elizabeth 
(Kendrick)  Jones  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  1786,  d.  Jan.  9,  1863,  in  Am- 
herst, aged  76.  He  d.  Feb.  26,  1815.  Had  several  children.  A  daughter, 
Mrs.  Fanny  (Batchelder)  Blaisdell,  d.  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  Dec.  28,  1890, 
aged  76  years.  His  son,  William  Batchelder,  d.  Feb.  20,  1860,  aged  48. 
There  were  other  daughters. 

Reuben  K.  Batchelder,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Elizabeth  T.  S.  Batchel- 
der, b.  Feb.  7,  1790.  He  m.  (1)  Alice,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Sarah  (Love- 
joy)  Kendall.  She  was  b.  August  1,  1800,  d.  June  26,  1846.  He  m.  (2) 
Mary,  dau.  of  John  and  Abigail  (Haseltine)  Weston.  She  d.  July  22, 
1877,  age  66  years,  28  days.  He  d.  Dec.  13,  1867,  age  77  years,  10  months. 
Two  children  by  first  wife,  b.  Mt.  Vernon  : 

1.  Reuben  K,  b.  Feb.  17,  1836,  left  Mt.  Vernon,  1861,  lived  in  Mil- 
ford.     Has  resided  in  Nashua  for  several  years,  is  unm. 

2.  Sarah  Eliza,  b.  March  30,  1838,  m.  Dr.  David  P.  Stowell,  resides 
at  Waterville,   Maine,  no  children. 

18.  Ezra  Batchelder,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Elizabeth  Batchelder,  b. 
March  2,  1792,  m.  his  cousin,  Lydia  Batchelder,  dau.  of  Capt.  John  Batchel- 
der, d.  May  19,  1875.  She  was  b.  February  11,  1792,  d.  Sept.  29,  1882. 
He  lived  on  his  father's  farm  in  the  East  District.  Their  children  were 
b.  in  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *Hiram,  b.  April  20,  1820. 

2.  *George  Gage,  b.  Nov.  16,  1824. 

3.  Susan  Frances,  b.  Aug.  4,  1827,  m.  Sanford  Trow,  Aug.  3,  1847, 
son  of  Richard  Trow  of  Hopkinton.  They  lived  in  Milford,  moved  from 
there  to  Haverhill,  Mass.,  had  several  children. 

4.  Charles,  b.  Jan.  29,  1830,  m.  Dec.  15,  1853,  Sarah  J.  Dinsmore  of 
Londonderry,  N.  H.,  she  d.  Feb.  5,  1858,  aged  28  years,  1  month.  He  d. 
Jan.  18,  1856,  Nashua,  N.  H. 

5.  John  A.,  b.  Dec.  29,  1831,  d.   March  24,  1859. 

6.  Nancy  Richards,  b.  Feb.  4,  1834,  d.  at  Wareham,  Mass.,  unm.,  Jan. 
26,  1892. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  19 

Deacon  John  Batchelder,  son  of  Capt.  John  and  Betsey  B.  Batchelder, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  14,  1780,  m.  (1)  Sept.  13,  1802,  Polly  Hildreth, 
m.  (2)  Nancy  Barnard  of  Peru,  Vt.  He  d.  Peru,  Vt.,  June  9,  1851.  By 
his  first  wife  he  had  eight  children : 

Mark. 

Fanny. 

3.  Eliza. 

4.  John. 

5.  Lucy  Ann. 

6.  Edmund. 
Mary  Ann. 
Mahala. 

By  his  second  wife  he  had : 
9.     Josiah. 

Edmund  Batchelder,  son  of  Capt.  John  and  Betsey  B.  Batchelder,  b. 
Aug.  5,  1787,  m.  Betsey,  dau.  of  Timothy  and  Elizabeth  (Kendrick) 
Jones  of  Amherst.  She  d.  in  Peru,  Vt.,  July  9,  1869,  aged  83  years,  3 
months.  He  d.  at  Peru,  Vt.,  July  23,  1869.  Children  probably  b.  in  Ver- 
mont.   Their  children  were  ■ 

1.  Ira  K. 

2.  Frances. 

3.  Porter. 

4.  Roxana. 

5.  Amos. 

6.  Hannah. 

7.  Daniel. 

8.  Charles. 

9.  James. 

Perley  Batchelder,  son  of  Capt.  John  and  Betsey  B.  Batchelder,  b. 
July  26,  1794,  m.  (1)  1823,  Rebecca,  dau.  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  (Hosea) 
Damon  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  Feb.  12,  1800,  d.  July  4,  1840.  He  m. 
(2)  Alsinda  Wason  of  New  Boston,  who  d.  Nov.  18,  1870,  age  66.  He  d. 
Oct.  22,  1878.  He  lived  on  the  farm  and  buildings  in  the  East  District, 
now  owned  by  Edward  H.  Best.     His  children,  all  by  first  wife,  were : 

1.  Clarissa  D.,  b.  June  12,  1825,  d.  Nov.  12,  1850,  unm. 

2.  Rebecca  Jane,  b.  Aug.  4,  1827,  d.  July  28,  1828. 

3.  Henry,  b.  July  28,  1829,  m.  Mary  Anna,  dau.  of  Samuel  Brown  of 
New  Boston,  Dec.  18,  1861.  He  d.  of  consumption,  Jan.  19,  1863,  aged  33 
years.  His  widow  m.  for  second  husband,  Prescott  Farrar  of  Hillsboro', 
April  11,  1866. 

4.  Mary  Jane,  b.  July  26,  1831,  d.  Lowell,  1903,  m.  Dec.  10,  1862, 
William  A.  Mack  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  formerly  of  Amherst,  where  all  their 
children  were  born.  Maria  A.,  b.  Feb.  1.  1864;  Emma,  b.  April  18,  1866; 
William  L,  b.  July  13,  1868;  Julia,  b.  July  27,  1870,  d.  Aug.  15,  1870. 


20  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

29.  Amos  Batchelder,  son  of  Capt.  John  and  Betsey  B.  Batchelder,  b. 
June  4,  1799,  m.  Sept.  1,  1831,  Nancy,  dau.  of  William  L.  and  Nabby 
(Jenkins)  Kidder.  He  lived  in  the  smaller  house  on  the  farm  in  the 
East  District  now  owned  by  E.  H.  Best.  He  d.  Feb.  10,  1847.  Their  ch. 
were : 

1.  Eliza  E.,  b.   Aug.   15,  1833. 

2.  Abby  Maria,  b.  Oct.  9,  1838,  m.  (1)  Henry  Winchester,  Feb.  14, 
1855.  He  d.  1856.  She  m.  (2)  William  Ryerson  of  Roxbury,  Mass, 
children:  William  H.,  b.  Wisconsin,  March  31,  1859;  Abby  Francis,  b. 
Dec.  8,  1862;  Edith  L.,  b.  Wisconsin,  April  9,  1865;  Tillar,  b.  Aug.  2,  1870. 

33.  Hiram  Batchelder,  son  of  Ezra  and  Lydia  Batchelder,  b.  April 
20,  1820,  m.  (1)  Jane  Howard  of  Amherst,  dau.  of  Henry  and  Polly  O. 
Howard,  Nov.  10,  1842.  She  was  b.  April  10,  1818,  d.  May  25,  1857.  He 
m.  (2)  Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Decatur  of  Mont  Vernon,  b.  July  27,  1826.  She  was 
the  dau.  of  James  and  Jane  (Bixby)  Upton,  d.  June  22,  1897.  He  settled 
in  Reading,  Mass.,  was  a  foundryman,  children  b.  Reading.  He  d.  Feb. 
1,  1883.     His  children  all  by  first  wife  were: 

1.  Nelson,  b.   Nov.  6,  1844,  d.  Feb.   19,   1857. 

2.  Eleanor,  b.  Sept.  16,  1846,  m.  April  16,  1868,  Edward  Eaton. 

3.  George,  b.   May  11,  1849,  m.  Jennie  Wylie,  July  31,  1870. 

4.  Harlon,  b.  Jan.   6,   1852. 

5.  Willie,  b.  April  27,  1854. 

Deacon  George  Gage  Batchelder,  son  of  Ezra  and  Lydia  Batchelder, 
b.  Nov.  16,  1824,  m.  Nov.  25,  1849,  Mary  Elizabeth  Home  of  Dover,  N.  H. 
She  was  b.  Aug.  10,  1826,  d.  June  23,  1899.  He  d.  Jan.  8,  1896.  Lived  on 
his  father's  farm  in  East  District,  now  owned  by  Vict.  D.  Gustine.  Their 
children  were  b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  Charles  Albert,  b.  Oct.  20,  1850,  d.  unm.,  Nov.  11,  1885. 

2.  George  Herbert,  b.  July  18,   1852. 

3.  Marcia  Ellen,  b.  March  3,  1864,  m.  Jan.  9,  1890,  Frank  O.  Lam- 
son  of  Mt.  Vernon,  has  three  children. 

Susan  Frances  Batchelder,  dau.  of  Ezra  and  Lydia  Batchelder,  b. 
Aug.  4,  1827,  m.  Aug.  3,  1847,  Sanford  Trow,  resided  Milford,  children 
were : 

1.  Willie  A.,  b.   Sept.  26,  1860. 

2.  Charles  Albert,  b.  Sept.  3,  1863. 

3.  Gracie  Eaton,  b.  Dec.  10,  1869. 

4.  George  Eaton,  b.  April  14,  1876. 

BATTLES. 

Samuel  Battles,  Sr.,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  from  Plymouth,  Mass.,  in 
1813.     He  m.  Deborah  Atwood.     He  settled  on  the  farm  now  of  C.  W. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  21 

Blood,  in  the  East  District.  Three  children,  viz. :  1.  William,  2.  William, 
3.  Louis,  d.  in  infancy  at  Plymouth.  He  had  six  children  when  he  came 
here,  Deborah,  Samuel,  Jr.,  John,  Edward,  Louis  and  Sarah.  Of  these 
Edward  and  Louis  grew  up,  but  were  not  m.     He  d.  1864,  age  93.     Ch : 

1.  Deborah,  m.  *Daniel  Kendall,  Dec.  31,  1818.  She  d.  April  24, 
1871. 

2.  Samuel  Battles,  Jr.,  m.  Lydia  Holmes,  about  1820,  moved  from 
Mont  Vernon  to  North  Randolph,  Vt.,  d.  there  April  16,  1880,  had  three 
sons,  Charles,  Lysander,  and  Edward  (killed  in  the  army)  and  several 
daughters. 

3.  John,  b.  Aug.  14,  1797,  m.  Sarah  Kendall,  dau.  Daniel  and  Sarah 
(Lovejoy)  Kendall  in  year  about  1827.  She  was  b.  July  26,  1794,  d. 
March  6,  1858.  He  d.  Dec.  11,  1877,  had  adopted  son,  Samuel  F.  Living- 
stone. 

4.  Edward. 

5.  Louis. 

6.  Sarah,  m.  *George  Jones,  about  1831.  She  had  three  sons  and 
three  daughters.     She  d.  Jan.  2,  1894. 

7.  *Thomas  W.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  17,  1817. 

Thomas  W.  Battles,  son  of  Samuel,  Sr.,  and  Deborah  (Atwood)  Bat- 
tles, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  17,  1817,  m.  Lucy  M.  Stevens,  June  1,  1837. 
She  was  b.  in  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  23,  1818,  d.  Decatur,  111.,  Aug.  8,  1900. 
He  lived  for  many  years  on  the  farm  owned  and  occupied  by  Charles  W. 
Blood.  He  moved  to  Decatur,  111.,  several  years  since,  where  he  now 
resides.     Children  b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  Orintha  M.,  b.  March  5,  1838,  m.  March  14,  1861,  John  C.  Roby, 
resides   Decatur,    111. 

2.  Charles  W.,  b.  August  18,  1843,  m.  Emma  L.  Spring,  Aug.  18, 
1869,  has  two  daughters,  Flora  E.,  and  Ella  L.,  both  b.  in  Decatur,  111., 
where  he  resides.     Carpenter. 

3.  George  W.,  b.  March  23,  1851,  m.  Lizzie  A.  Parker  of  Goffstown, 
March  25,  1880,  is  in  shoe  business,  resides  Decatur,  111. 

4.  Orrin  W.,  b.  Sept.  30,  1852,  m.  Ella  E.  Whittemore  of  Goffstown, 
June  15,  1886.     Resides  Decatur,  111. 

Children  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  Alice  E.,  b.  Nov.  5,  1887. 

2.  Maude,  b.   Aug.  29,   1889. 

BEARD. 

Charles  Rodney  Beard,  b.  New  Ipswich,  N.  H.,  1799,  moved  to  Mont 
Vernon  about  1825,  formed  a  partnership  in  the  tannery  with  Dea.  Joseph 
A.  Starrett,  sold  out  and  removed  to  Newport,  N.  H.,  came  back  here 
after  his  first  wife's  death,  and  bought  out  D.  W.  Baker's  half  of  store. 
He   was   representative   in    1856-1857.      He   d.    in    New    Ipswich,    Dec.    16, 


22  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1880,  age  81  years.  He  m.  (1)  1829,  his  cousin,  Betsey  J.,  dau.  of  Mark 
and  Mahala  Perkins,  she  d.  Jan.  26,  1850,  age  40.  He  m.  (2)  Fanny,  dau. 
of  Capt.  William  Bruce  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  the  widow  of  David 
Boardman.     She  d.  Nov.  13,  1873,  age  62.     Three  children  by  first  wife: 

1.  Charles  E.,  b.  May  31,  1832,  lived  in  New  Ipswich. 

2.  Sarah  W.,  b.  May  24,  1835,  m.  Jesse  Hutchinson  of  Milford,  lived 
in   Baltimore. 

3.  Frank. 

Samuel  J.  Beard,  son  of  Samuel  Beard,  b.  in  Hollis,  N.  H.,  March 
23,  1836,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1860,  enlisted  in  22d  N.  H.  Regiment; 
discharged  for  wound  in  knee,  Dec,  1862.  He  was  a  helper  in  the  fami- 
lies of  John  Follansbee  and  Henry  F.  Dodge  many  years.  He  entered  the 
Soldiers'  Home  at  Tilton  in  1897,  where  he  d.  May  29,  1902.    He  was  unm. 

Elijah  Beard,  came  here  from  Hillsboro'.  Children  Elijah  and  Lucy 
Beard. 

1.  Cyrene  Adeline,  b.  Feb.  17,  1816. 

2.  Stillman  A.,  b.  Dec.  17,  1817. 

BENNETT 

John  H.  Bennett  of  Canterbury,  N.  H.,  m.  Polly  Johnonnot  of  Goffs- 
town,  N.  H.  He  d.  in  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  28,  1871,  aged  58.  She  d.  Aug. 
5,  1895,  aged  89  years,  4  months.     Children  all  b.  in  Mont  Vernon  were: 

1.  Marden  J.,  b.  Dec.  3,  1836,  d.  Feb.  2,  1893,  was  a  carpenter,  unm. 

2.  Elizabeth,  b.  March,  1839,  d.  Nov.  29,  1888.  She  m.  *Clinton  May, 
who  d.  May  18,  1877,  age  46.    They  had  three  children. 

3.  Alvan  E.,  b.  July  23,  1841,  m.  April,  1861,  Ellen,  dau.  of  Mark  and 
Mary  (Twiss)  Putnam  of  Amherst,  has  three  children,  George,  Mark  P., 
Florence. 

4.  Harvey,  d.  May  28,  1868,  age  16  years  (adopted  son). 

BISHOP. 

Henry  Bishop  came  from  Marblehead,  Mass.,  lived  on  the  Joseph 
Conant  farm  in  the  East  District  15  years,  moved  to  the  village  and  d. 
there  Nov.  8,  1860,  age  66.  His  wife,  Sally  D.  (Barker)  Bishop,  d. 
Marblehead,  Oct.  16,  1890,  age  89.     A  child  d.  in  infancy,  March  13,  1841. 

BLANCHARD. 

George  Walter,  son  of  Timothy  and  Dorcas  (Hood)  Blanchard,  b. 
Milford,  Nov.  19,  1824,  moved  in  the  West  District,  Mont  Vernon  in  1876. 
He  d.  Nov.  2,  1896.     He  m.  Delia  Finnerty,  b.  Aug.  5,  1835,  children : 

1.  George  D.,  b.  1862,  farmer,  lives  Mont  Vernon. 

2.  James,  b.  March  4,  1865,  d.  at  San  Bernardino,  Cal.,  Dec.  13,  1891. 

3.  Walter  J.,  b.  July  6,  1870,  m.  1895,  Hannah  J.  Averill,  one  child. 
She  d.,  1901. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  23 

BERRY. 

Rev.  Augustus  Berry,  b.  Concord,  N.  H.,  Oct.  17,  1824,  was  principal 
of  McCollom  Institute  from  1856  to  1860,  thence  went  to  Andover,  Mass., 
to  study  theology,  was  settled  as  minister  of  the  Congregational  Church, 
Pelham,  until  his  death,  Oct.  10,  1899.  He  m.  (1)  Nov.  24,  1853,  Miss 
Dora  Richardson  Snow  of  Peterborough,  who  d.  March  15,  1873.  He  m. 
(2)    in    1877,    Miss    Mary   Currier    Richardson   of   Pelham.      No   children. 

BLOOD. 

George  A.  Blood,  b.  Merrimack,  N.  H.,  1804,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
10th  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  d.  in  hospital,  Nov.,  1863,  m.  1839,  Alice 
Seavey  Butterfield,  b.  Feb.   19,  1821,  in  Bedford.     Children  : 

1.  *George  Henry,  b.   Bedford,  Aug.  5,   1845. 

2.  Alonzo,  b.  Merrimack,  1846,  m.  Clara  Pearson,  has  three  sons, 
lives  in  New  Boston. 

3.  Mary  Ann,  b.  Bedford,  June  19,  1848,  m.  Henry  J.  West,  of  Am- 
herst, d.   1866. 

4.  Eliza  J.,  b.  Merrimack,  Sept.  27,  1854,  m.  Jan.,  1874,  J.  Minot  Har- 
vell,  resides  in  Milford.  Children  :  Sarah  Alice,  b.  at  Mont  Vernon,  Sept. 
5,  1875,  m.  Chandler  of  New  Boston.  Herbert  Minot,  b.  Dec.  1,  1880,  at 
Mont  Vernon,  resides  Milford. 

5.  Elizabeth  E„  b.  Merrimack,  Sept.  27,  1858,  m.  Dec.  28,  1880, 
James  Kennett  of  Beverly,  Mass.,  has  two  sons. 

6.  Ida  E.,  b.  Bedford,  July  16,  1860,  dressmaker,  num.,  resides  Mont 
Vernon. 

7.  *Charles  W.,  b.  March  26,  1862. 

George  Henry  Blood,  b.  Aug.  5,  1845,  m.  Nov.  27,  1897,  Mary  J.  West 
of  Amherst,  b.  Sept.  9,  1850.  He  d.  Sept.  21,  1898.  Farmer.  Resided  in 
North  and  South  District  (Justin  Richardson  farm).  Children  except 
Bessie  b.  Amherst. 

1.  Harry  G.,  b.  May  2,  1869,  m.  April  27,  1892,  Harriet  M.  Kittredge, 
dau.  of  Henry  J.  and  Jane  (Murray)  Kittredge.  Farmer.  Resides  North 
District. 

2.  *Joseph  H.,  b.  June  24,  1872. 

3.  Alice   R.,  b.    March   3,   1876,   clerk,   resides    Mont   Vernon. 

4.  Charles  E.,  b.  March  25,  1879,  m.  Feb.  12,  1900,  Ida  Millay,  resides 
Stoddard.     One  son. 

5.  Bessie  May,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  April  21,   1895. 

*Charles  W.  Blood,  b.  March  26,  1862,  m.  June  21,  1890,  Ida  J.  Cod- 
man,  dau.  of  Nathan  and  Hannah  (Cree)  Codman.  She  was  b.  W. 
Deering,  Sept.  27,  1869.     Children  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Helen   M.,  b.   March   18,   1891. 

2.  Olive  E.,  b.  Feb.  28,  1893. 


24  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNOX. 

Joseph  H.  Blood,  b.  June  24,  1872,  m.  Jan.  10,  1900,  Myrtie  A.,  dau. 
of  Frank  Brooks  of  Greenfield.  He  is  senior  partner  of  firm  of  Blood  & 
Temple,  village  grocers.     Children  b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  George  B.,  b.  Dec.  8,  1900. 

2.  Jennie  A.,  b.  June  1,  1902. 

BOARDMAX. 

David  Boardman  from  Halifax,  Vt.,  settled  in  Mont  Vernon  in  1840, 
m.  Oct.  6,  1842,  Frances  E.,  dau.  of  Capt.  William  Bruce.  He  d.  July  25, 
1850,  age  42.     She  d.  Xov.  13,  1873,  age  52.    They  had  three  children : 

1.  Irving  went  to  western  Xew  York,  studied  medicine,  and  is  a 
practising  physician  there. 

2.  Frances  Estelle,  d.  Sept.  2,  1852,  age  6]/2  years. 

3.  Emily,  d.  March  14,  1849,  age  18  months. 

BOHONAX. 

Walter  Bohonan,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Elizabeth  (Whitcomb)  Bo- 
honan,  b.  Temple,  X.  H.,  Dec.  22,  185G,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1895, 
and  settled  on  the  Simeon  F.  Kendall  farm  in  the  East  District.  He  m. 
Estella  F.,  dau.  of  Henry  and  Frances  (Marshall)  Heald  of  Milford.  She 
was  b.  April  22,  1868.     Children  : 

1.  Elsie  Marion,  b.  Milford,  April  28,  1893. 

2.  Frances  Elizabeth,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  3,  1896. 

3.  Hattie  Florence,  b.   Mont  Vernon,   Xov.   17,   1897. 

4.  Bertha  May,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Xov.  3,  1899. 

5.  George  W.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.,  1901. 

BOUTELLE. 

Lilly  E.  Boutelle,  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Eaton)  Boutell,  b.  Am- 
herst, 1796,  m.  Feb.,  1820,  Phebe  Holt  of  Temple.  She  was  b.  Jan.  8, 
1793,  d.  Oct.  27,  1847.     He  d.  July  24,  1839,  age  33,  children  were: 

1.  George  E.,  b.  Amherst,  June  29,  1825,  m.  (1)  Mrs.  Xancy  S. 
Bohonan  of  Nashua,  she  d.  March,  1867,  m.  (2)  Ella  A.,  dau.  Albert  B. 
and  Harriet  E.  (Cummings)  McCrillis  of  Francestown,  b.  Nov.  19,  1848. 
Children:  Georgia  Ella,  d.  young;  George  Curtis,  b.  Feb.  12,  1871,  in- 
surance solicitor,  m.  and  res.  Buffalo,  X.  Y. ;  Edwin  Tracy,  b.  Sept.  10, 
1873,  d.  Feb.  14,  1878;  Carl  Vernon,  1..   Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  26,  1884. 

2.  Phebe   A.,   b.   Amherst,   Dec.   26,   1826,   d.    Xashua,   June   17,    1899, 

unm. 

BOUTELL. 

Horace  S.  Boutell,  son  of  Calvin  Boutell,  b.  Amherst,  X.  H.,  Jan. 
24,  1822,  m.  Martha  A.,  dau.  Jesse  and  Xancy  (Cochran)  Trow  of  Mont 
Vernon,  June  6,  1848.     She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  10,  1825,  d.  Am- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  25 

herst,  N.  H.,  Aug.  18,  1893.  Mr.  Boutell  was  a  railroad  engineer  in 
Hillsborough,  removed  to  Mont  Vernon,  lived  on  the  farm  now  occupied 
by  Maurice  Herlihy  in  the  South  District,  and  on  the  Harwood  place 
west  of  the  village,  thence  removed  to  the  Moses  Hill's  Place  in  Amherst, 
where  he  d.  Oct.  14,  1896.     Children: 

1.  Martha  E.,  b.  Hillsboro',  May  6,  1850,  m.  Henry  A.  Hill  of  Stone- 
ham,  Mass.,  April  23,  1871,  d.  Amherst,  N.  H.,  April  18,  1876. 

2.  Frank  T.,  b.  Hillsboro',  March  22,  1854,  m.  Delia  Foster  of  Marl- 
boro', Mass.,  Jan.  11,  1879,  res.  Amherst,  N.  H. 

3.  George  P.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  29,  1861,  m.  Hattie  B.  Tobin  of 
Amherst,  N.  H.,  Oct.  14,  1896,  d.  Amherst,  Oct.  25,  1897. 

4.  Fred,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  21,  1865,  m.  Martha  E.  Boutelle  of 
Corinth,   Me.,  June   10,  1897,  lives  at  Amherst. 

5.  Harry,  b.  Stoneham,  Mass.,  Dec.  27,  1869,  m.  Anna  C.  Whiting, 
dau.  Benj.  B.  Whiting  of  Amherst,  Dec.  27,  1893,  lives  at  Amherst. 

Reuben  Boutell,  b.  Reading,  Mass.,  1760,  m.  Olive  Bradford,  moved 
from  here  to  Antrim.     A  son,  Chandler  B.,  b.  March. 

BRADFORD. 

William  Bradford  came  here  early  in  life  from  Middleton,  Mass., 
m.  (1)  Mary  Lambert,  Jan.  18,  1737.  She  was  b.  March  11,  1718,  d.  Feb. 
18,  1770.  He  m.  (2)  Rachel  Small.  She  was  b.  May  7,  1738,  d.  Jan.  26, 
1802.     He  d.  1791. 

Children  by  first  wife: 

1.  Samuel,  b.  about  1738,  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  m.  Anna 
Washer,  d.  in  Antrim  at  Elijah  Gold's,  Feb.  5,  1813. 

2.  Patience,  m.  Joseph  Lovejoy  of  Amherst,  July  9,  1761,  had  eight 
children,  d.  in  Amherst,  March  3,  1826,  aged  85. 

3.  Mary,  m.  *John  Averill,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  August  21,  1814,  aged 
73.     She  was  baptized  in   Middleton,   Mass.,   1742. 

4.  *Enos,  b.  Nov.  3,  1744,  m.  Sarah  Chandler  of  Bedford,  Jan.  24, 
1769,  d.  of  starvation,  from  a  disease  of  the  throat  which  prevented  him 
from  swallowing  food. 

5.  *Joseph. 

6.  *William. 

7.  Huldah,  unm. 

8.  Olive,  m.  Reuben  Boutell,  Jr.,  Nov.  11,  1789,  removed  to  Antrim, 
1783. 

9.  Eunice,  m.  Moses  Pettengill,  Feb.  4,  1779. 
By  second  wife : 

10.  Hannah,  b.  May  20,  1773,  m.  James  Tuttle,  July  5,  1798. 

11.  *Lambert,  b.   March   18,   1775. 


26  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Enos  Bradford,  son  of  (1)  William  and  Mary  (Lambert)  Brad- 
ford, b.  Nov.  3,  1744,  m.  Sarah  Chandler  of  Bedford,  Jan.  24,  1769.  He 
settled  near  his  father  in  Mont  Vernon.     Their  children  were: 

1.  Chandler,  b.  Nov.  20,  1772,  d.  Jan.  29,  1775. 

2.  Enos,  b.  Dec.  26,  1774,  d.  Sept.,  1797. 

3.  Lambert. 

4.  Sarah,  b.   1780. 

5.  Chandler,  b.  Aug.  13,  1783,  d.  Feb.  22,  1784. 

6.  Nancy,  b.  1792,  m.  Sept.  10,  1809,  *John  L.  Lamson  of  Mont  Ver- 
non, d.  Jan.   23,   1812. 

Joseph  Bradford,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Lambert)  Bradford,  was 
a  Revolutionary  soldier,  d.  Medford,  Mass.,  July,  1775,  left  two  children: 

1.  Molly,  m.  Robert  Taggard,  Sept.  20,  1793. 

2.  Lavina. 

They  were  placed  under  guardianship,  April  28,  1779.  They  had  been 
previously  cared  for  by  Nathan  Jones. 

William  Bradford,  Jr.,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Lambert)  Brad- 
ford, m.   (l)   Hannah  ,  and  settled  in  Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  Sept. 

1,  1812,  age  56;  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Lois  Bruce,  widow  of  Rev.  John  Bruce.  She 
d.  1828,  age  67.  He  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and  a  prominent  char- 
acter in  the  early  history  of  the  town.  He  removed  in  his  old  age  to 
Barre,  Vt.,  where  he  d.  Oct.  25,  1816,  aged  63  years.  Maj.  William  Brad- 
ford, though  and  old  man,  commanded  under  Gen.  Miller  at  "Lundy's 
Lane."  He  lived  on  the  John  Averill  farm  in  North  District.  His  ch. 
were : 

1.  William,  b.   1780,  m.   Mary  Green,   d.   Barre,  Vt.,   March   3,   1866. 

2.  Joseph,  d.  Winchester,  Tenn.,  Jan.   19,   1859,  age  72  years. 

3.  Mary,  m.  Daniel  L.  Stearns,  d.  Goshen,  Aug.  1849. 

4.  Leonard,  m.  Betsey,  dau.  Phinehas  and  Sarah  (Hildreth)  Jones, 
May  4,  1815,  settled  in  Washington,  N.  H. 

5.  Anne,  d.  unm.  in  Goshen. 

6.  Lucy,  m.  Eber  Curtis  of  Antrim,  had  seven  children. 

7.  Fanny,  an  adopted  dau.,  m.  Eben  Averill  of  Milford,  d.  Feb.  12, 
1850,  age  66. 

Lambert  Bradford,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Lambert)  Bradford, 
m.  Phebe  Farnum.  He  d.  Merrimack,  Feb.  12,  1850,  aged  75.  Their 
children  were : 

1.  Polly,  b.  March  9,  1795,  m.  George  Wiley,  Jan.  1,  1818. 

2.  William,  b.  March  16,  1797,  m.  Ruth  Whiting  of  Merrimack, 
March   16,  1826. 

3.  Minerva,  b.  Aug.  11,  1799. 

4.  Nabby,  b.  Dec.  1,  1801. 

5.  Susannah,  b.   April  6,   1802. 


<&  ^% 


HARRY  H.  BRAGG. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  27 

BRAGG. 

Harry  H.  Bragg,  b.  Springfield,  Vt,  Jan.  4,  1813,  m.  (1)  Malvina  M. 
Wilkins,  dau.  Frederick  Wilkins,  Dec.  24,  1839.  She  was  b.  Feb.  25,  1819, 
d.  Oct.  19,  1873.  He  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Mary  S.  Bruce  of  Milford,  N.  H.,  Feb. 
11,  1875.  He  d.  Nov.  11,  1883.  He  was  an  honest,  straightforward  man 
of  business,  kind  and  friendly  disposition,  and  during  the  30  years  he  was 
a  citizen  of  Mont  Vernon,  his  enterprise  contributed  largely  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  town  and  his  removal  after  the  burning  of  his  factory  in 
1864,  was  a  serious  loss.     His  children  were  all  b.   in   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Cordelia  M.  J.,  b.  Feb.  3,  1841,  m.  Henry  J.  Allen  of  Boston,  Dec. 
3,  1874.     She  d.  Feb.  19,  1882 ;  no  children. 

2.  Alonzo  W.,  b.  Oct.  29,  1842,  m.  (1)  Sept.  26,  1865,  Sarah  N.  Hol- 
land of  Boston,  who  d.  He  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Lamb  of  Revere,  who  d. 
He  m.  (3)  March  20,  1884,  Miss  Mary  Edgerly  of  Boston.  He  was  en- 
gaged in  active  business,  as  a  manufacturer  and  merchant  in  Boston  for 
25  years,  is  now  successfully  retired  with  an  ample  estate  which  has  been 
increased  by  fortunate  investments.  He  is  sharp  and  shrewd  in  financial 
matters. 

3.  Ellen  M.,  b.  April  27,  1845,  m.  Nov.  1,  1868,  Arthur  J.  Haseltine 
of  Manchester,  N.  H.,  by  whom  she  had  one  daughter.  She  m.  (2)  Feb. 
8,  1893,  William  G.  Burnham  of  Mt.  Vernon.  She  d.  at  Sharon,  Mass., 
March  18,  1896. 

4.  Henrietta  E.,  b.  June  29,  1849,  m.  Charles  B.  Dodge  of  Milford, 
Dec.  24,  1870,  d.  Aug.  2,  1873. 

5.  Harry  A.,  b.  Nov.  29,  1854,  d.  Dec.  28,  1860. 

BROWN. 

Amasa,  son  of  Joshua  and  Sally  Potter  Brown,  b.  Concord,  Mass., 
April  16,  1808,  d.  March  10,  1883,  settled  in  Mont  Vernon  in  1833,  m.  Sept. 
3,  1833,  Maria,  dau.  of  James  Wilkins  and  Ha'nnah  Brown  Wilkins  of 
Carlisle,  b.  July  17,  1808.  She  d.  Oct.  29,  1900.  Children  all  b.  in  Mont 
Vernon. 

1.  Joshua,   b.   June   29,   1834,   d.   Aug.   11,   1853. 

2.  Rebecca  D.,  b.  March  6,  1836,  m.  October,  1859,  Lorenzo  A.  Lane 
of  Ashburnham;  one  son,  Elmer  C,  b.  Oct.  15,  1867,  m.  Nov.  27,  1889, 
Mary  Allen  of  Alfred,  Me.,  have  two  children,  res.  Dorchester,  Mass., 
Mrs.  Rebecca  (Brown)  Lane  d.  Feb.  12,  1881. 

3.  *James  A.,  b.  Nov.  7,  1837. 

4.  Sarah  P.,  b.  May  25,  1840,  lives  on  homestead,  unm. 

5.  Susan  B.,  b.  May  25,  1840,  d.  May  26,  1840. 

6.  George  W.,  b.  Feb.  11,  1842,  d.  while  a  member  of  Company  B., 
Eighth  N.  H.  Regiment  at  New  Orleans,  May  25,  1863. 

7.  Hiram  W.,  b.  July  7,  1844,  lives  Mont  Vernon. 

8.  Charles  D.,  b.  Dec.  0,  1850,  lives  Mont  Vernon. 


28  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

James  A.  Brown,  son  of  Amasa  and  Maria  Wilkins  Brown,  b.  Nov. 
7,  1837,  m.  (1)  May,  1856,  Adeline  L.  Small.  She  d.  Dec,  1863.  He  m. 
(2)  Adeline  A.  Davis  of  Ashby,  March  24,  1865.  She  was  b.  Dec.  21, 
1850.    Children  by  first  wife  were  : 

1.  James,  b.  March,  1857,  d.  April  ,  1857. 

2.  Clara  M.,  b.  May,  1860,  d.  Feb.  25,  1879. 

3.  Sarah  J.,  b.   May,   1863,  d.  Dec,  1863. 
Children  by  second  wife  were : 

4.  Susan  E.,  b.  July  17,  1866,  m.  Chas.  Johnnott,  resides  in  Nashua; 
one   child. 

5.  James  W.,  b.  Dec.  19,  1868,  engineer. 

6.  Albert  Irving,  b.  June  23,  1870,  m.  resides  in  New  Boston;  has 
two   children. 

7.  Joseph  Derby,  b.  July  8,  1873. 

8.  Charles  Reuben,  b.  Jan.  22,  1876. 

9.  George  Amasa,  b.  Nov.  8,  1878. 

10.  Sarah  Ellen,  b.  Oct.  16,  1881. 

11.  Warren  F.,  d.  Feb.  24,  1887,  age  two  years. 

12.  Marion  Blanche,  b.  July  9,  1889. 

John  Dalton  Brown,  son  of  William  and  Tabitha  (Boutelle)  Brown, 
b.  Amherst,  Sept.  28,  1818,  m.  Dec.  25,  1849,  Mary  dau.  Eli  and  Polly 
(Hidden)  Buttrick.  She  was  b.  Pelham,  N.  H.,  April  11,  1828,  d.  Feb. 
22,  1903,  at  Milford.  He  came  here  from  Amherst  about  1864,  lived  on  the 
/arm  by  the  big  maple  tree,  now  owned  by  C.  O.  Ingalls,  then  on  the  old 
poor- farm  (now  Edw.  Hildreth's),  thence  to  the  Rollins'  farm  in  East 
District.  While  driving  his  team,  one  of  the  stakes  struck  him  in  the 
neck  inflicting  a  wound  from  which  he  died  the  next  day,  May  29,  1879. 

Children  were : 

1.  Alvah,  b.  Amherst,  Feb.  12,  1850,  d.  April  14,  1850. 

2.  Elwin,  b.  Amherst,  July  11,  1852,  d.  Aug.  30,  1854. 

3.  Martha  J.,  b.  Amherst,  May  27,  1855,  m.  (1)  Chas.  O.  Brooks  of 
Greenfield,  Sept.  23.  1874,  by  whom  she  had  two  children;  m.  (2)  El- 
bridge  K.  Jewett,  Dec.  25,  1844,  four  children,  res.  in  Milford. 

4.  Lewis  W.,  b.  Amherst,  Sept.  3,  1857,  m.  Martha  Granicher,  Dec. 
22,  1887;  eight  children;  reside  in  California. 

5.  Ellen  M.,  b.  Amherst,  Dec.  5,  1859,  m.  Hubbard  H.  Sanderson, 
Nov.  23,  1881;  two  children;   res.   Milford. 

6.  Otis  G.,  b.  Amherst,  Jan.  21,  1862,  res.  in  Milford,  unm. 

7.  Martin  L.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  16,  1866,  m.  Sept.  30,  1897,  Bertha 
M.  Lund,  one  child,  res.  in  Milford. 

8.  Hattie  Eva,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  4,  1868,  d.  Milford,  Dec.  25, 
1888. 

9.  Clara  M.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  8,  1871,  d.  Milford,  Dec.  7,  1883. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  29 

Mrs.  Charlotte  Brown,  lived  where  Jay  M.  Gleason  now  does,  in  the 
forties  and  fifties.  One  dau.  Charlotte,  d.  Sept.  9,  1844,  aged  28.  A  dau. 
Julia  Ann,  m.  *Elisha  R.  Manning,  d.  Sept.  9,  1877,  aged  56  years. 

BROWNE. 

Rev.  Donald  Browne,  b.  London,  England,  Nov.  3,  1851,  son  of  Donald 
and  Sarah  (Humphrey)  Browne,  educated  in  Devonshire,  was  a  teacher, 
had  charge  of  an  Episcopal  Mission  School  four  years.  Judge  of  District 
of  St.  Barbe's,  Bombay,  Newfoundland  six  years,  studied  theology  at  Bos- 
ton University,  ordained  1889,  preached  at  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  1889  to  1892, 
was  pastor  of  Broadway  Congregational  Church  at  Fall  River,  Mass., 
1892  to  1895,  at  Mont  Vernon  N.  H.  Congregational  Church  from  Nov. 
1898  to  Nov.  1900.  He  is  now  Rector  of  the  Episcopal  Church  at  Derry, 
N.  H.  He  m.  (1)  1874,  in  Birmingham,  Eng.,  Miss  Agnes  Anderson,  who 
d.  1890,  two  children  by  first  wife.  He  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Caroline  (Crapo) 
Swain  of  Fall  River,  Mass.,  one  child. 

3.     Donald,  b.  Nov.  26,  1897. 

BRUCE. 

Rev.  John  Bruce,  b.  Marlborough,  Mass.,  Aug.  31,  1757,  d.  in  Mont 
Vernon,.  March  12,  1809,  m.  Lois  Wilkins  of  Marlborough,  Dec.  15,  1785, 
who  after  his  death  m.  Major  William  Bradford.  She  d.  in  Mont  Vernon, 
Feb.  12,  1828,  aged  67.  He  settled  in  Mont  Vernon  in  1785,  was  the  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  Church  from  1785  until  his  death  in  1809.  He  was 
called  the  "good  Mr.  Bruce."  He  lived  on  the  farm,  now  occupied  by 
Miles  E.  Wallace,  west  of  village.     Their  ch.  were  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  John,  d.  Dec.  14,  1786,  age  6  weeks,  6  days. 

2.  *John,  b.  Feb.  11,  1788. 

3.  *James,  b.  Nov.   15,   1789. 

4.  *William,  b.  Aug.  7,  1791. 

5.  Lois,  b.  1793,  m.  William  S.  Stinson,  Sept.  12,  1816,  d.  Oct.  5, 
1823,  had  three  sons. 

6.  *Nathaniel,  b.  1794,  d.  March  2,  1874. 

7.  Fanny,  m.  Stephen  Peabody,  by  whom  she  had  children,  lived  in 
Montpelier,  Vt. 

Deacon  John  Bruce,  son  of  Rev.  John  and  Lois  (Wilkins)  Bruce,  b. 
Feb.  11,  1788,  was  representative,  moderator,  and  deacon  in  the  church 
here.  He  m.  Dolly  Durant.  She  was  b.  May  3,  1792,  d.  Aug.  28,  1871. 
He  d.  Jan.  19,  1872.  He  lived  on  his  father's  farm.  He  was  also  County 
Treasurer  several  years.     Their  children  were  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Maria  Jane,  b.  Aug.  21,  1814,  m.  Dec.  10,  1833,  Dea.  Joseph  A. 
Starrett,  d.  Oct.  20,  1869,  had  four  children. 


30  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

2.  *John  Erastus,  b.  Nov.  4,  1817. 

3.  *Levi  W.,  b.  July  21,  1821. 

4.  *Alonzo  Swan,  b.  July  3,   1826. 

5.  Emily  Frances,  m.  Nov.  15,  1849,  William  A.  Starrett  of  Frances- 
town,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  19.   1853,  age  23. 

James  Bruce,  son  of  Rev.  John  and  Lois  (Wilkins)  Bruce,  b.  Not. 
5,  1789,  m.  (1)  Sarah,  dau.  of  Thomas  Parker  of  New  Boston.  She  was 
b.  March  11,  1794,  d.  at  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  28,  1844,  age  50  years.  He  m. 
(2)  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wheelwright.  She  d.  May  1,  1883,  age  82.  He  d. 
July  19,  1869,  age  79  years,  8  months.  He  moved  in  Mont  Vernon,  moved 
to  Lyndeboro',  thence  removed  to  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  d.  Children  all 
by  first  wife. 

1.  John  W.,  b.  July  30,  1816,  resides  Medford,  Mass. 

2.  Sarah,  b.  April  14,  1820,  m.  May  6,  1846,  Nathan  Richardson  of 
Lyndeborough,  where  she  d.  Aug.  3,  1888.  She  had  four  children,  viz. : 
1.  Edward  B. ;  2.  Sarah  E.,  m.  Stephen  H.  Dunbar  of  Wilton;  3.  Ella  F., 
m.  Eli  Curtis  of  Wilton ;  4.  Harry  J.,  lives  in  Lyndeborough. 

3.  *Elizabeth,  b.  April  24,  1825. 

4.  Clarinda  F.,  b.  Jan.  10,  1831,  m.  James  H.  Carr  of  Lyndeborough, 
has  one  son,  Frederic  B.  Carr. 

5.  James  P.,  b.  May  3,  1834,  d.  at  Mont  Vernon,  April  11,  1854. 

Capt.  William  Bruce,  son  of  Rev.  John  and  Lois  (Wilkins)  Bruce,  b. 
Aug.  7,  1791,  in  Mont  Vernon.  Lived  in  the  village,  was  a  blacksmith,  m. 
Dec.  1,  1814,  Hannah,  dau.  Peter  and  Betsey  Woodbury  Jones.  She  was 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  20,  1793,  d.  July  18,  1871.  He  d.  July  21,  1871.  Ch. 
b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Jane  T.,  b.  Jan.  1,  1816,  m.  March  26,  1833,  Stephen  Dunbar  of 
Milford,  snn  Rev.  Elijah  Dunbar,  d.  Manchester,  Feb.  8,  1890. 

2.  William  G.,  b.  Feb.  1,  1819,  mechanic,  lived  in  village,  m.  Augusta, 
dau.  James  and  Hannah  (Stevens)  Whittemore.  She  was  b.  May  12, 
1825,  d.  Sept.  6,  1891.  He,  while  hunting  in  New  Boston,  shot  himself,  and 
d.  as  a  result,  Oct.  27,  1883.  He  was  representative  in  1862  and  1863, 
two  years. 

3.  Frances  E.,  b.  1821,  m.  (1)  Oct.  6.  1852,  *David  Boardman,  m.  (2) 
Chas.  R.  Beard.     She  d.  Nov.  13,  1873. 

4.  Nancy  B.,  b.  Oct.  1,  1825,  m.  Sept.  23,  1843,  *Thos.  Haskell 
Richardson.     She  d.  June  6,  1892. 

5.  Artemas  F.,  d.  July  18,  1831.  aged  10  months,  15  days. 

Nathaniel  Bruce,  son  of  Rev.  John  and  Lois  (Wilkins)  Bruce,  b. 
1795,  in.  (1)  Frances  Tay  of  Bedford,  m.  (2)  Lucy  Butterfield  of  Lynde- 
boro'. She  was  b.  Dec.  12,  1803,  d.  Jan.  11,  1880.  He  lived  first  in  South 
District,  then  in  village  where  Walter  Woods  now  lives.     He  d.  March  2, 


NATHANIAL   BRUCE,   ESQ. 


JOSEPH   H.  A.  BRUCE. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  31 

1874.  Was  a  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  County  Treasurer  from  1843 
to  1846.  He  was  appointed  postmaster  in  1861  to  1873,  and  representative 
in  1830,  1831,  1832,  1833,  1840,  1841.     Children  by  first  wife. 

1.  Maria,  b.  Feb.  10,  1817,  d.  young. 

2.  Nathaniel  F.,  b.  May  25,  1819,  m.  (1)  Harriet  N.  Oliver  of  Stone- 
ham,  Mass.,  kept  store  in  Wakefield  and  Billerica,  Mass.,  28  years  (14 
years  in  each  place).  His  ch.  are:  1.  Clarence  M.,  a  merchant  of  Billerica; 
2.  Jasper,  res.  Billerica;  3.  Romanzo  L..  Methodist  preacher  of  Vermont 
Conference,  lives  California;  4.  Eva  Caroline,  m.  Orlando  Hoyt,  res. 
Stoneham,  Mass. ;  5.  Louis  F.,  resides  Stoneham ;  6.  Nathaniel  E.,  m. 
Emily  J.  Hatch,  resides  Stoneham. 

3.  Frances  Maria,  d.  at  12  years  of  age. 

4.  Caroline,  d.  at  10  years  of  age. 

5.  Mary,  m.  John  Oliver,  d.  Portsmouth,  N.  H..  where  she  resided. 

6.  Sarah  Ann,  m.  Henry  Oliver  of  Stoneham,  Mass.,  d.  there  Jan. 
31,  1884. 

7.  Joseph  Harvey  Appleton,  b.  Oct.  30,  1833,  m.  (1)  Emily,  dau. 
Mark  D.  and  Mahala  (Jones)  Perkins  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  d.  June  19, 
1860,  age  26  years,  9  months.  He  m.  (2)  Elvira,  dau.  George  Hoyt  of 
Francestown.  They  had  one  dau.  Emilie  (now  Mrs.  Chas.  Abbe  of  Pitts- 
burg, Pa.),  m.  (3)  Mrs.  Emma  (Burton)  Hoyt  of  Wilton.  He  was  repre- 
sentative in  1870  and  1871.  He  is  the  proprietor  of  a  summer  hotel  at 
Bethlehem,  N.  H.,  and  a  winter  hotel  at  Lakeland,  Fla. 

8.  Frances  M.,  m.  Henry  Mosman,  b}^  whom  she  had  three  dau. 
Gertrude,  Jennie,  Frances.  He  d.  April  23,  1880.  She  m.  (2)  June,  1887, 
Daniel  Holley,  res.  San  Jose,  Cal. 

By  second  wife,  Lucy  Butterfield   Bruce : 

9.  *George  Anson,  b.   Nov.   19,   1839.      • 

10.  Lucy  Augusta,  b.  May  28,  1841,  m.  July  10,  1861,  Alfred  Kirke, 
b.  Harrison  Co.,  Ohio,  Feb.  16,  1832.  Children:  Allen  B.,  b.  June  2,  1868; 
Harold  B.,  b.  Sept.  20,  1876.     They  reside  in  Chicago. 

John  Erastus  Bruce,  b.  Nov.  4,  1817,  went  to  Milford,  1849,  was  a 
merchant  there  many  years,  m.  June  16,  1846,  Sarah  J.,  dau.  of  James  and 
Hannah   (Stevens)   Whittemore,  b.  Weymouth,  Mass.,  May  22,  1827.    Ch  : 

1.  Charles  E.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  18,  1846,  manufacturer,  res. 
Elmira,  N.  Y.,  m.  1873,  Fanny  McMurray,  Troy,  N.  Y. 

2.  Josiephine  E.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  26,  1848,  teacher,  res.  Med- 
ford,  Mass. 

3.  Ella  A.,  b.  Milford,  Nov.  24,  1850,  m.  Nov.  16,  1870,  W.  N.  Robin- 
son, has  three  children,  res.  Milford. 

4.  Emily  F.,  b.  July  2,  1853,  m.  Nov.  1874,  Judge  Walter  H.  San- 
born, res.  St.  Paul,   Minn. 

5.  Sarah  W.,  b.  Sept.  6,  1859,  m.  April  29,  1891,  Edwin  A.  McCrillis, 
res.   Milford. 


HTSTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Levi  W.  Bruce,  b.  July  21,  1821.  d.  July  2,  1855,  m.  Dec.  18,  1851, 
Alma,  dau.  Daniel  and  Olive  (Proctor)  Holt  of  Milford.  She  was  b. 
Milford,  May  24,  1834.  She  m.  (2)  1857,  *Dea.  George  E.  Dean  of  Mont 
Vernon.  She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  31,  1891.  Mr.  Bruce  was  a  merchant 
tailor  and  lived  in  Milford.     Children  : 

1.  Augustus  Levi,  b.  Milford,  Nov.  24,  1854,  grew  up  in  Mont  Vernon, 
graduated  McCollom  Institute,  graduated  at  a  homeopathic  school  in 
Chicago,  111.,  is  a  successful  physician  of  the  osteopathy  method  at  Utica, 
N.  Y.,  has  been  an  instructor  in  the  Atlantic  School  of  Osteopathy, 
Wilkesbarre,  Pa.  He  m.  Nov.  29,  1888,  Miss  Elizabeth  Harris  of  Victory, 
N.  Y. 

Alonzo  Swan  Bruce,  son  of  Deacon  John  and  Dolly  (Durant)  Bruce, 
b.  July  3,  1826,  d.  April  27,  1892,  m.  May  31,  1865,  Maria  N.,  dau.  Robert 
and  Nancy  (Smith)  Tuten.  She  was  b.  Cambridge,  Mass.,  Sept.  20,  1843. 
He  was  postmaster  for  several  years.     Children  : 

1.  John  Alonzo,  b.  May  1.  1868,  m.  Nov.  22,  1894,  Lizzie  Blanche, 
dau.  John  F.  and  Mary  E.  (Hatch)  Amsden,  one  ch.,  is  a  clerk  and  res. 
in   Milford. 

2.  Alice  Frances,  b.  Nov.  22,  1874,  d.  Nov.  12,  1895. 

3.  Robert  Tuten,  b.  Dec.  26,  1876,  res.  at  Mont  Vernon. 

Elizabeth  Bruce,  dau.  of  James  and  Sarah  (Parker)  Bruce,  b.  April 
24,  1825,  m.  Dea.  Nathaniel  F.  Mclntire  of  Lyndeborough,  April  12,  1848, 
d.  Feb.  2,  1903,  in  Lyndeborough.     Children  : 

1.  Mary  C,  b.  Feb.  28,  1851,  m.  June  9,  1874,  *Jay  M.  Gleason,  two 
children. 

2.  Lois  E.,  b.  Oct.  11,  1854,  lives  in  Lyndeboro'. 

3.  Herbert  B.,  b.  July  3,  1857,  m.  Ida  Woodward  of  Marlboro',  N.  H., 
is  a  doctor  in  Cambridge,   Mass. 

George  Anson  Bruce,  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Lucy  (  Butterfield)  Bruce, 
1).  Nov.  1l>.  1839,  fitted  for  college  at  Mont  Vernon,  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth in  1861,  studied  law  one  year  with  Hon.  D.  S.  Richardson  at 
Lowell.  In  August,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  Thirteenth  N.  H.  Regiment, 
and  went  to  the  front  as  first  lieutenant  of  Company  B.  He  served  with 
distinguished  bravery  until  the  close  of  the  war,  holding  at  its  close  the 
position  of  brevet  lieutenant-colonel.  In  1865  he  resumed  his  legal  studies 
at  Lowell.  In  1866  he  represented  Mont  Vernon  in  the  X.  H.  Legislature. 
In  1866  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  opened  an  office  in  Boston,  where 
he  pursued  his  profession  with  an  assured  reputation  as  an  able  counsellor 
and  advocate  until  recently.  He  is  now  retired.  Establishing  his  residence 
in  the  city  of  Somerville,  he  was  in  1877  elected  its  Mayor,  holding  the 
office  three  consecutive  years.  In  1883  and  again  in  1884  he  was  in  the 
State   Senate   from   his    district,   and   the   latter  year   its   presiding  officer. 


HON.  GEORGE  A.  BRUCE. 


SYLVANUS  BUNTON,  M.D. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  33 

He   now   lives   in   Boston.     He  m.    Clara    M.    Hall   of  Groton,    Mass.,   by 
whom  he  has  one  child,  who  survives. 
1.     Clara  Augusta,  b.  Nov.   19,  1SS2. 

BULLARD. 

Edmund  E.  Bullard,  son  of  Nahum  and  Keziah  (Peabody)  Bullard, 
b.  Amherst,  March  25,  1835,  m.  June  22,  1863,  Rachel  E.  Roberts  of  Hub- 
bardton,  Vt.  He  lived  in  the  Proctor  house  (now  burnt),  near  George 
C.  Hadley,  several  years,  moving  to  Amherst  in  the  eighties.  He  d.  Aug. 
6,  1901,  at  Amherst.    Their  children  were : 

1.  Lovicey  J.,  b.  March  23,  1864,  d.  Nov.  22,  1864. 

2.  Charles  D.,  b.  Nov.  7,  1S68,  m.  Abby  A.  White,  June  26,  1890, 
lives  in  Amherst. 

3.  Anna  E.,  b.  Oct.  29,  1871,  m.  Sept.  2,  1891,  Willis  M.  Chandler, 
one  daughter. 

John  A.  Bullard,  son  of  Nahum  and  Keziah  (Peabody)  Bullard,  b. 
Amherst,  June  26,  1851,  m.  Nov.  23,  1875,  Ida  B„  dau.  Josiah  and  Sally 
(Farnum)  Swinnington,  b.  May  25,  I860,  Munt  Vernon.  He  resides  in 
Lyndeborough.     Their  children  are  : 

1.  Harry   Orville,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  July   17,    1877. 

2.  Winfield  Stetson,  b.  Amherst,  Sept.  5,  1S80. 

3.  Arthur  Brooks,  b.  Munt  Vernon,  June  26,  1886. 

BUXTON. 

Dr.  Sylvanus  Bunton,  b.  Allenstown,  N.  H.,  March  8,  1812,  graduated 
Dartmouth  College,  1840,  studied  medicine  in  Baltimore.  First  settled 
in  his  profession  in  Manchester,  N.  H.,  where  he  continued  until  June, 
1864,  when  he  was  appointed  assistant  surgeon  of  Seventh  N.  H.  Regiment, 
promoted  to  surgeon,  mustered  out  July  20,  1865.  Then  he  settled  in  his 
profession  at  Hollis,  and  in  186S  removed  to  Mont  Vernon,  N.  H.,  where 
he  d.  Aug.  13,  1884.  He  m.  (1)  Dec.  17,  1846,  Clarissa  Conant.  She  was 
b.  Hollis,  May  1,  LS14,  d.  at  Mont  Vernon,  July  3,  1873.  He  m.  (2)  Dec. 
1874,  Sarah  J.,  dau.  Capt.  James  T.  and  Sally  (Gillis)  Trevitt.  She  was 
h.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  22,  IS  18,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  26,  1899.  Children 
by  first  wife  : 

1.  Henry  S.,  b.  Manchester,  N.  H,  April  6,  1848,  m.  in  Winthrop, 
Mass.,  May  9,  1880,  Alary  G.  Giles.  He  is  treasurer  Hyde  Park  Savings 
Bank,  Hyde  Park,  Mass. 

2.  Leonard  J.,  b.  Dec.  28,  1858,  d.  1859. 

BURN  HAM. 

Azel  W.  Burnham,  son  of  Col.  Joshua  Burnham  of  Milford,  b.  Mil- 
ford,  May  15,  1787,  was  a  farmer  in  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  d.  April  24, 


34 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXOX. 


1865,  m.  Sept.  20,  1816,  Lydia  H.  Peabody  of  Mont  Vernon,  had  eight  ch. 
who  reached  adult  age. 

1.  David,  d.  Wilton. 

2.  Azel,  d.  in  Concord. 

3.  Sabrina,  d.  Nov.  9,  1846,  age  24,  unm. 

4.  Moses. 

5.  *William  P. 

6.  Hiram,  lives  in  Prescott,  Minn. 

7.  Matthew  F.,  b.  1832,  m.  Fanny  Follansbee,  three  children  d.  Til- 
ton,  N.  H.    He  d.  April  28,  1895,  aged  62  years. 

8.  Walter,  d.  in  Milford,  leaving  children. 

William  P.  Burnham,  son  of  Azel  W.  and  Lydia  (Peabody)  Burn- 
ham,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  22,  1827,  resided  on  farm  of  John  Bartlett  m 
Milford,  d.  there  May  3,  1885,  m.  Nov.  12,  1850,  Frances  C,  dau.  John 
Bartlett.     She  was  b.  June  15.  1831.     Children  b.  in  Milford. 

1.  Ella  S.,  b.  Nov.  30,  1851,  m.  Dec.  23,  1885,  George  C.  Evans,  re- 
sides Jefferson,  N.  H. 

2.  Annie  J.,  b.  Aug.  5,  1853,  m.  Oct.  16,  1890,  Walter  Warren. 

3.  Mary  F.,  b.  June  12,  1856,  m.  Sept.  23,  1880,  George  C.  Hadley  of 
Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  15,  1881. 

4.  Myra  E.,  b.  July  4,  1859,  m.  Oct.  5,  18S2.  Frank  L.  Macomber  of 
Boston,  resides  Nashua. 

5.  William  W.,  b.  May  17,  1862.  res.  Milford. 

6.  Carrie  I.,  b.  July  24,  1869,  m.  Jan.  1,  1891,  Cyrus  W.  Foss  of  East 
Raymond,  Me.,  resides  Nashua. 

Oramus  Walter  Burnham,  youngest  son  of  Thomas  and  Rachel 
(Conant)  Burnham,  and  grandson  of  Col.  Joshua  Burnham  of  Milford, 
b.  Antrim,  May  25,  1827.  m.  (1)  July  30,  1857,  Ellen,  youngest  dau.  of 
Capt.  Daniel  Hartshorn  of  Amherst,  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Ellen  J.  (Kittredge) 
Drury,  dau.  of  Zephaniah  and  Elizabeth  (Mclntire)  Kittredge,  Nov.  27, 
1884.  She  was  b.  Jan.  24,  1841.  They  lived  in  Mont  Vernon,  on  the  farm 
occupied  by  Stephen  M.  Carpenter,  from  1888  to  1902,  when  they  moved 
to  Waltham,  Mass. 

John  Burnham,  b.  Dunbarton,  d.  1826,  aged  46,  m.  Sarah  Hook 
Appleton,  dau.  of  Rev.  Joseph  Appleton,  D.  D..  of  North  Brookfield,  Mass. 
She  d.  Boston,  Nov.  11,  1884,  aged  90  years.    Their  children  were : 

1.  John  A.,  b.  Flillsboro',  N.  H.,  June  16,  1813,  m.  Miss  Dennison  of 
Stonington.  Conn.,  had  several  children,  graduate  of  Amherst  College, 
1833,  was  first  agent  of  the  Stark  Mills,  Manchester,  from  1839  to  1847, 
was  then  a  cotton  broker  in  Boston  and  travelled  through  the  South  Inn- 
ing cotton  for  New  England  manufacturers;  accumulated  a  large  fortune. 
estimated  at  $100,000,  d.  Aug.  23.  1883,  aged  70. 

2.  William,  engaged  in  the  cotton  business  in  the  South,  d.  unm. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXOX.  35 

3.  Sarah,  m.  Capt.  Augustus  Whittemore,  lived  in   Boston,  had  two 

daughters. 

4.  Maria   Theresa,   m.    George   Dodge   of   Attleboro',    Mass.,   resided 

Boston. 

William  Gage  Burnham,  son  of  Xorman  and  Xancy  (Gage)  Burn- 
ham,  b.  Lowell,  Mass..  Sept.  15,  1850,  m.  (1)  Oct.  20,  1875,  Ellen,  dan.  of 
Thomas  H.  and  Xancy  (Bruce)  Richardson.  She  was  b.  Dec.  1,  1847.  d. 
July  22,  1887.  He  m.  (2)  Feb.  8,  1893,  Mrs.  Ellen  (Bragg)  Haseltine, 
dau.  Harry  H.  and  Malvina  (Wilkins)  Bragg,  and  widow  of  Arthur 
Haseltine.  She  was  b.  April  27,  1845,  d.  Sharon,  Mass.,  March  18,  1896. 
He  d.  at  Holliston,  Mass.,  April  18,  1901. 

1.     Xellie  Blanche,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  Aug.   19,  1877,  d.  Aug.  24,  1877. 

Andrew  Burnham,  b.  Wilton,  Sept.  3,  1800,  d.  May  1880,  m.  Martha 
Hutchinson,  June.  1823.  She  was  b.  Milford,  Feb.  27,  1801,  d.  Oct.  17, 
1887.     Came  to  Mont  Vernon  from  Lyndeboro'.     Lived  in  West  Di-trict. 

1.  William  S.,  b.  Feb.,  1823,  m.  Gibbons,  has  children,  res.  Hart- 
ford, Conn. 

2.  George  W.,  b.  Lyndeboro',  May,  1824,  m.,  lived  in  Nashua,  is  not 
living. 

3.  Mary  Jane,  m.  Charles  Eaton,  lives  Long  Island,  has  ch. 
Twins. 

4.  Louisa,  b.  Lyndeboro",  March  4,  1827,  m.  William  Southworth, 
lived  in  Ashburnham. 

5.  Lavinia,  b.  Lyndeboro,"  March  4,  1827,  m.  Daniel  Kendall  of 
Brookline.  left  children,  is  not  living. 

6.  James  A.,  b.  Lyndeboro",  drowned  in  Trow"s  Pond,  June  22,  1851, 
aged   18. 

7.  Israel,  was  a  butcher,  had  a  slaughter  house  in  Mont  Vernon 
several  years,  res.  Xashua. 

8.  Albert,   b.   Lyndeboro',   Jan.   7,   1839. 

CAMBRIDGE. 

Charles  Cambridge,  an  Englishman,  lived  in  the  South  District,  in 
a  house,  now  torn  down,  on  the  Carleton  farm.  He  had  several  children, 
one  of  whom,  Edward,  was  an  apprentice  in  the  Cabinet  office  at  Am- 
herst, d.  of  consumption,  Aug.   1,  1807. 

Charles,  m.  Anna,  dau.  of  Joseph  Langdell,  July  2,  1810,  had  five  sons 
and  two  daughters  : 

1.  '"Joseph  L. 

2.  William  G,  was  a   Universalis  minister. 

3.  Arthur 


■16 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 


4.  Eleanor,  was  m.  and  lived  in  Lowell. 

5.  Mary  Ann,  was  m.  and  lived  in  Lowell. 

6.  Henry. 

7.  Charles. 

Joseph  L.  Cambridge,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  moved  to  Lowell,  then  to  Am- 
herst, practised  as  a  Botanic  physician.     He  returned  to  Lowell. 

CAMPBELL. 

Henry  Campbell  came  to  Mont  Vernon  from  Windham,  between  1780 
and  1790  He  was  an  active  citizen  here.  He  went  to  Antrim  in  1793, 
and  opened  a  store  in  the  east  part  of  Antrim,  where  he  traded  8  years. 
In  1801  he  was  drowned  while  bathing  in  the  Charles  River  near  Bos- 
ton whither  he  had  gone  to  purchase  goods.  He  m.  Amy,  youngest  dau. 
of  Dea.  Oliver  Carleton.  She  was  b.  May  24,  1769.  She  m.  after  her 
husband's  death.  William  Grout  of  Acworth,  had  several  children  by  him. 
She  moved  to  Ohio  and  d.  there.  Henry  and  Amy  Campbell  had  two  ch. 
who  were  buried  on  "Meeting  House  Hill,"  in  Antrim,  in  1793  and  1796. 
He  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  Henry  Campbell  who  signed  the  Asso- 
ciation  Test   in   Windham   in   1776. 

Samuel  Campbell,  b.  New  Boston,  long  a  single  man,  and  long  a 
teacher  in  Massachusetts,  d.  Sept.  27,  1867,  aged  86.  He  came  to  Mont 
Vernon  about  1830  and  bought  the  Gurdy  farm  in  the  Southeast  part  of  the 
town.  He  moved  to  the  village  about  two  years  before  his  death.  He  was 
a  quiet,  sensible  man,  much  respected,  and  served  as  school  committee 
for  several  years.  He  m.  Rebecca  Kingsbury  of  Dedham,  Mass.  She  d. 
July  24,  1S78,  aged  77  years,  5  months.     Children  : 

1.  Elizabeth,  d.  Oct.  15,  1855,  aged  22  years. 

2.  *William   Henry,  b.  July  30,   1S35. 

William  Henry  Campbell,  b.  July  30,  1835,  at  Mont  Vernon.  He  was  of 
the  firm  of  Conant  (Walter  S.  Conant)  &  Campbell,  in  New  York  City 
12  years.  He  commenced  the  manufacture  of  paper  boxes  in  Nashua, 
Nov.  1,  1SS6,  as  successor  to  S.  S.  Davis.  He  m.  (1)  March  14,  L3G4, 
Helen  A.  George  of  Newport,  N.  H.  She  d.  July  14,  1S65.  He  m.  (2) 
Helen  A.  Wing,  dau.  of  Phillip  Wing  of  Grafton,  Mass.,  Nov.  24,  1S70. 
She  d.  Aug.  26,  1891.     Children  : 

1.  George  Wing,  b.  Oct.  30,  1871,  m.  Frances  Freeman  of  Boston, 
res.   Nashua. 

2.  Bessie  Rebecca,  b.  Aug.  14,  1874,  m.  Seth  S.  Staples  of  Rondout, 
N.  Y.,  res.  there. 

Clark  Campbell,  son  of  Captain  Daniel  and  Sabrina  (Moor)  Camp- 
bell, b.  New  Boston,  March  17,  1836,  m.  (1)  Ann  A.,  dau.  of  Hiram  and 
Serviah  (Lamson)  Perkins,  Nov.  27,  1S62.  She  was  b.  Jan.  15,  1S38,  d. 
August  16,   1900.     He  m.   (2)   July  2,  1902,  Lillian  ].,  dau.  of  William  P. 


CLARK  CAMPBELL. 


CASSTUS  S.  CAMPBFXL, 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXOX.  37 

Cooke  of  Revere.  Mass.  In  1857  he  became  associated  in  the  store  here 
with  Daniel  R.  Baker,  having  purchased  the  interest  of  C.  R.  Beard.  He 
was  town  treasurer  from  1876  to  1899;  representative,  1^7^  and  1879,  and 
served  as  moderator  many  years.  He  was  Democratic  candidate  for  State 
Senator  and  High  Sheriff  at  one  time.  He  served  from  1894  to  1899  as 
United  States  Marshall  for  the  State  of  Xew  Hampshire.  Was  ap- 
pointed Rural  Mail  Inspector  in  1900.     Children  : 

1.  Alice  Perkins,  b.  Sept.  22.  1870,  graduated  Wellesley  College. 
1895,  assistant  teacher  in  Milford  High  School,  1895-1898,  m.  June  6, 
1S99.  Fred  A.  Wilson  of  Xahant,  one  child,  Constance  P.  Campbell,  b. 
April  13,  1900,  lives  in  Xahant. 

2.  Mary  Grace,  b.  Oct.  14.  1873,  d.  Aug.  20,  1882. 

CARKIX. 

Charles  Carkin  of  Lyndeborough,  lived  with  his  sister,  Mrs.  John 
Hartshorn  several  years  on  the  Beech  Hill  Road.  He  d.  unm„  April  9, 
1888,  aged  72  years. 

CARLETON. 

Edward  Carleton.  a  freeman  and  man  of  importance  in  Rowley,  Mass., 
in  1642,  lived  in  Rowley  some  years,  returned  to  England,  b.  in  England 
about  lf>30. 

John  settled  in  Haverhill,  m.  Hannah  Jewett,  had  several  children,  d. 
Nov.  16,  166S.  His  son,  Thomas,  lived  in  Bradford,  had  five  children,  of 
whom  George,  the  third  child,  was  b.  Sept.  26,  1702,  in  Bradford,  m. 
Nov.  9,  1725,  Mary,  dan.  of  Samuel  Hale  of  Boxford.  to  which  place  they 
removed  in  1727  where  she  d.  Nov.  28,  1780,  age  75.  He  d.  Feb.  13,  1783, 
age  80.  They  had  five  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  the  third. 
Thomas,  b.  Nov.  10,  1730,  m.  Jane  Stickney,  Nov.  28.  1754.  She  d.  be- 
tween 1760  and  177o.  He  moved  to  Mont  Vernon,  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Mary 
(Hartshorn)  Weston,  widow  Daniel  Weston,  dau.  of  David  and  Sarah 
(Phelps)   Hartshorn.     Children: 

1.  Thomas. 

2.  Sally. 

3.  David   Hartshorn,  left  Antrim.   1820. 

4.  Joseph  Stickney,  moved  to  Antrim,  1790,  lived  there  in   1816. 

1.  Edward  Carleton. 

2.  John   Carleton. 

3.  Thomas   Carleton. 

4.  George  Carleton. 

Deacon  Oliver  Carleton,  son  of  George  and  Mary  (Hale)  Carleton 
of  Boxford.  Mass.,  b.  Boxford,  Sept.  11,  1732,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  about 
1760.     He  was  a  prominent  man  in  the  Northwest  parish,  now   Mont  Ver- 


38 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXOX. 


non.  He  was  on  the  Committee  that  provided  for  soldiers'  families  in  the 
War  for  Independence.  It  was  related  that  he  was  so  zealous  to  accomp- 
lish the  completion  of  the  first  church  building  here  (being  on  the  Build- 
ing Committee),  that  he  neglected  his  own  work  so,  that  he  was  obliged 
to  sell  a  pair  of  steers  to  cancel  his  indebtedness.  He  m.  Amy  dau.  of 
John  and  Hannah  (Wilkins)  Washer,  1761.  She  was  b.  in  Middleton, 
Mass.,  d.  1812.  He  d.  1801.  He  lived  on  farm  in  South  District  occupied 
by  his  great-great-grandson,  Joseph  G.  Carleton.     Children : 

1.  *John,  b.  Oct.  16,  1762. 

2.  Rebecca,  b.  Jan.  21,  1764,  m.  Sept.  11,  1783,  *Robert  Parker,  Jr. 

3.  *Enoch,  b.  Sept.  15,  1765. 

4.  Oliver,  b.  Aug.  23,  1767,  m.  Mary,  dau.  of  Lieut.  Joseph  Farnum, 
removed  to  Vermont  before  1800,  had  a  large  family  mostly  sons,  and  d. 
in  Claremont  about  1860,  aged  92.     He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade. 

5.  Amy,  b.  May  24,  1769,  m.  (1)  *Henry  Campbell,  m.  (2)  Wm. 
Grout. 

6.  Stephen,  b.  Oct.  23,  1771,  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  B.  Jones  of 
Lyndeboro',  settled  in  Acworth  as  a  physician  in  1803,  and  d.  there  in 
1857,  aged  86  years,  never  married.  He  was  a  man  of  few  words,  a 
gentleman,  very  much  esteemed  as  a  physician,  and  valued  as  a  citizen, 
was  noted  for  his  kind  and  generous  assistance  to  deserving  young  men. 
He  represented  Acworth  in  the  Legislature  several  years. 

Deacon  John  Carleton,  son  of  Deacon  Oliver  and  Amy  (Washer) 
Carleton,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  16,  1762,  d.  Dec.  20,  1838,  m.  (T)  Judith 
Weston,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Hartshorn)  Weston.  She  was  b. 
March  29,  1763,  d.  Xov.  25,  1824.  He  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Tabitha  (Wilkins) 
Gilmore,  March  30,  1825.  She  was  b.  Oct.  28,  1774,  d.  in  South  Marlow, 
Sept.  16,  1848.  He  was  a  prominent,  public  spirited  and  respected  citizen 
for  many  years,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  selectman  and  town  clerk.  In 
1800  he  was  elected  a  deacon  of  the  church  in  place  of  his  father  who  d. 
that  year.  Lived  on  the  Carleton  farm  in  South  District.  Children  b. 
Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Clarissa,  b.  Sept.  9,  1781,  m.  William  Davis  of  Acworth,  who  set- 
tled in  Denmark,  Me.  She  d.  in  1869,  had  five  sons  and  three  daughters. 
1.  William ;  2.  John,  settled  in  Naples,  Me.,  was  a  state  senator  two  years ; 
3.  Josiah;  4.  Oliver;  5.  Ezra,  settled  in  Nashua,  was  first  lieutenant  in 
Company  B.,  7th  X.  H.  Regiment,  d.  on  board  transport,  Xew  York  har- 
bor, July  30,  1863 ;  6.  Clarissa,  d.  unm. ;  7.  Emma,  m.  a  Mr.  Pingree  of 
Denmark,  Me.,  had  three  sons;  8.  Elizabeth,  m.  (1)  Oliver  Smith  of  Den- 
mark, Me.,  by  whom  she  had  one  son,  Peleg  Smith,  m.  (2)  George  E. 
Dean  of  Rockford,  111. 

2.  Judith,  b.  July  8,  1783,  m.  April  21,  1804,  *Josiah  Coburn,  d.  Oct.  5, 
1864. 

3.  Emma,  b.  Aug.  21,  1785,  d.  of  spotted  fever,  Feb.,  1812. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXOX.  39 

4.  *John,  1).  July  26,    L787,  d.  Jan.   14.   1868. 

5.  Mary,  b.  Jan.  19,  1790,  m.  *Dr.  Luther  Smith,  July  22,  1817,  d. 
March  20,  1872. 

6.  Daniel  Weston,  b.  Dec.  5,  1791,  d.  in  infancy. 

7.  Daniel  Weston,  b.  Nov.  26,  1793,  d.  in  infancy. 

8.  Achsah,  b.  July  21,  1795,  d.  Jan.  2,  1842. 

9.  George,  b.  May  16,  1797,  d.  young. 

10.  Lucy,  b.  May  2,  1799    d.  young. 

11.  '^Oliver,  b.  July  20,   1801. 

12.  *Daniel,  b.  Oct.  27.  1805,  m.  Hannah  Goodrich  of  Biddeford,  Me., 
had  four  sons  and  a  daughter. 

John  Carletcn,  sen  of  Dea.  John  and  Judith  (Weston)  Carlcton,  b. 
July  2i',,  its;,  d.  Jan.  14.  1868,  m.  Fanny  Lewi-  of  Milford,  b.  April  9, 
1791,  d.  Sept.  10,  1863.  Me  was  an  industrious,  worthy  fanner,  living  on 
the  Carleton   farm  in  the  South   District.     Ch.  all  b.   in   Mont   Vernon. 

1.  *William  Davis,  b.  June  15,  1815. 

2.  Emma  Frances,  b.  July  19,  ISIS,  d.  April  20,  1S26. 

3.  Harriet  Elizabeth,  b.  Sept.  19,  1823,  m.  Sept.  19,  1S4C,  Luther 
Wiswell.  She  d.  Sept.  25,  1S59,  one  child,  Emma  F.  Wiswell,  b.  July  9, 
1S54,  m.   Gilbert  A.   Heald. 

4.  *John  Adams,  b.  Aug.  8,  1826. 

5.  Abby  Temple,  b.  Jan.  29,  1S29,  m.  Spencer  Guild  of  .Milford,  Oct. 
16,  1S50.  He  was  b.  in  June,  1820,  d.  Nov.  17.  1SS5.  Children:  1.  Fanny 
Carleton,  b.  Sept.  17,  1856,  head  Miss  Gilman  School,  Boston;  2.  William 
Albert,  b.  March  7,  1802,  insurance  business,  Boston;  :;.  Frank  Spencer,  b. 
April  12.  1866,  Art  Editor,  Ladies'  Home  Journal,  Philadelphia. 

Enoch  Carleton,  son  of  Deacon  Oliver  and  Amy  (Washer)  Carleton, 
1).  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  1.  1765,  m.  (1)  Hannah,  eldest  dau.  of  Col.  Stephen 
Peabody.  She  was  b.  July  2,  lTfis.  He  moved  to  Cambridge,  Vt.,  prior 
to   1800,   had   four  children   by  this  wife,  viz. : 

1.  Enoch,  Jr.,  m."  Rosamond  Chadwick,  had  nine  children. 

2.  George,  accidentally  killed. 

3.  Stephen  Peabody,  twice  married,  d.  Dixon,  X.  Y.,  about  1842. 
left  four  children. 

4.  Hannah,  m.  Luke  Nichols..  They  d.  about  1850,  leaving  four 
sons,  1.  Jonathan,  lives  Westford,  Vt. ;  2.  Franklin,  d.  at  25;  3.  Chandler, 
lives  northwest  part  of  Illinois;  4.  Levi,  lives  Westford,  Vt.  They  are 
all  sterling  and  energetic  men. 

Enoch  Carleton,  Sr.,  m.  (2)  Eliza  Thurston,  two  children.  He  d. 
Richford,  Vt.,   Sept.,   1S45,  age  SO. 

5.  Levi  At  wood,  m.  a  Warner,  both  d.  leaving  a  son  Charles,  who  d. 
and  left  a  widow  and  daughter  in  Xew  York  City. 


40  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

6.  Caroline,  m.  Alden  Sears,  had  six  children,  most  of  whom  grew 
up  and  settled  in  California,  and  ultimately  went  to  Oregon. 

7.  *Andrew  J.,  b.  July  23.  1828,  m.  Esther  Brown,  had  throe  ch., 
lives  Springfield,  Mass. 

E.  Carleton,  m.   (3)   Clarissa  (Goffe)   descendant  of  Wm.  Goffe. 

Oliver  Carleton,  Esq.,  son  of  Deacon  John  and  Judith  (Weston) 
Carleton,  b.  July  20,  1801,  at  Mont  Vernon,  prepared  for  college  at  Phillips' 
Academy,  Andover,  graduated  Dartmouth  College,  1824,  tutor  in  Dart- 
mouth College,  Aug.  1824  to  Aug.,  1826,  principal  of  Academies  in  various 
places  in  Mass.  and  N.  H.  From  1832  to  1856  was  principal  of  the 
Salem  Latin  School,  Salem,  where  he  distinguished  himself  as  an  able 
educator.  He  was  afterwards  head  of  private  schools  in  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.  and  Salem,  Mass.  He  d.  Salem,  Mass.,  June  21,  1882.  He  m.  (1) 
Margaretta,  dau.  Hon.  Clifton  and  Margaret  (McQuestion)  Clagget  of 
Amherst.  She  d.  March  13,  1829,  age  26.  He  m.  (2)  Louisa  A.,  dau. 
Hon.  Bailey  Bartlett  of  Haverhill,  Mass.  She  was  b.  Oct. '17,  1809,  d. 
June  20,  1840.  He  m.  (3)  Aug.  18,  1841,  Mary  Smith  of  Salem,  Mass. 
She  was  b.  Bath,  N.  H.,  July  23,  1803,  d.  Salem,  1874. 

Children  by  first  wife : 

1.  Clifton  C,  d.  in  infancy. 
Children  by  second  wife : 

2.  Edwin  Bartlett,  b.  Nov.  2,  1832,  drowned  at  sea  in  1851. 

3.  William  Jarvis,  b.  May  12,  1835,  d.  1861,  m.  Eliza  Ham  of 
Danvers. 

4.  Joseph  George  Sprague,  b.  Aug.  10,  1837,  resides  Lynn,  Mass. 

5.  Mary  Louisa,  b.  Oct.  16,  1838,  res.  Salem,  Mass.,  unm. 
Children  by  third  wife : 

6.  Harriet  E.,  b.  July  21,  1842,  res.  Salem,  Mass.,  unm. 

Daniel  Carleton,  youngest  son  of  Dea.  John  and  Judith  (Weston) 
Carleton,  b.  Oct.  27,  1805,  m.  Hannah  Goodrich  of  Biddeford,  Me.,  had 
five  children.     He  d.  in  Biddeford,  Me.,  in  1852.     Children  were : 

1.  Caroline. 

2.  Chas.  Henry,  d.  at  about  18  years  of  age. 

3.  Daniel  Freeman,  lives  in  Springfield,  Mass. 

4.  Thomas  Lord. 

5.  Benjamin,  d.  young. 

William  Davis  Carleton,  son  of  John  and  Fanny  (Lewis)  Carleton, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  15,  1815,  m.  Dec.  27,  1840,  Clarissa  J.  Wells  of  Goffs- 
town,  b.  June  25,  1818.  He  was  for  a  time  Master  of  the  Yard  of  the 
Stark  Corporation,  Manchester,  went  West  in  1847,  settled  respectively  in 
Trenton,  Beaver  Dam,  and  Sun  Prairie,  Wis.  He  lived  for  many  years 
and  d.  at  Sun  Prairie,  Oct.  5,  1900.  He  was  an  active  busmess  man.  Mrs. 
Carleton  d.   1898.     Children: 


0 


REV.   CHARLES   C.   CARPENTER. 
Thirteenth    Pastor.    1880-1885. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON  n 

1.  Frances  Jane,  b.  Manchester,  Feb.  23,  1842. 

2.  William  Munroe,  1).  Manchester,  Nov.  27,  1844,  m.  .Margaret 
Graham,  lives  in  Minneapolis,  has  two  daughters. 

Twins. 

3.  Emma  Ellen,  b.  Sept.  14.  1847,  in  Wis.,  m.  Oct.,  18G5,  David 
Samuels,  has  two  children. 

4.  Anna  Viola,  b.   Sept.  14,  1S47,  in  Wis.,  m. 

5.  Charles  Edwin,  b.   Sept.   2G,  1S50. 

6.  Mary  Alletta,  b.  Feb.  20,  1852. 

7.  John.  b.  July  10,  1S58. 

8.  Ernest,  b.   May,   1862. 

John  Adams  Carleton,  son  of  John  and  Fanny  (Lewis)  Carleton,  1). 
Aug.  S.  1826,  m.  June  14.  1848.  Amanda  Wilson,  b.  Norwich,  Vt„  Jan.  21. 
1827,  d.  April  28,  1890.  He  d.  Milford,  May  2!).  1898.  He  lived  on  his 
father's  farm  in  South  District.     His  children  were  all  b.  in  Mi  nt  Verm  n. 

1.  Ella  Amanda,  b.  July  10,  1850,  d.  Sept.  2,  1852. 

2.  John  William,  b.  Dec.  17,  1852,  m.  June  12,  l^s:',.  Ida  M.  Adam-, 
resides  Manchester. 

3.  Charles  Frederic,  b.  Jan.  1,  1857,  d.  Jan.  4,  1857. 

4.  Lilla,  b.  Aug.  4,  1858,  m.  William  F.  Easton,  Dec.  25,  1880,  lives 
in  Wilton. 

5.  Elmer  E.,  b.  June  29,  1861,  m.  1894,  Dora  J.  Pillsbury,  d.  Oct.  4. 
1894. 

0.  *Joseph  George,  b.  May  20,  1863. 

7.  Will   Stearns,  b.  Oct.  Ml,   1864,  lives  in   Manchester. 

8.  Fannie  Lewis,  b.  Nov.  7.  1866,  m.  Oct.  26,  189::,  George  F.  Averill, 
lives  in  Milford. 

9.  Charles  Gage.  b.  June  1,  1868,  m.  Oct.  11,  1894,  Lillie  M.  Butler  of 
Lyndeborough,  has  one  son,  and  resides  in  Nashua,  is  a  clerk. 

Joseph  G.  Carleton,  son  of  John  A.  and  Amanda  (  Wilson  )  Carleton, 
b.  May  20,  1863,  m.  Nov.  25,  1891,  Minnie  P...  dau.  of  Otis  and  Hannah 
(  Swinnington  )  Spaulding,  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b.  Milford,  Sept.  1, 
1869.  He  resides  on  the  ancestral  farm  in  the  South  District.  Children 
b.    Mont    Vernon. 

1.  George   Otis,   b.   April  29,   1894. 

2.  Elmer  Ellsworth,   b.  April  25,  1896. 

3.  Alwin,  b.  April  7,  1897. 

4.  Oliver  Wilson,  b.  April  10,  1901. 

5.  Abby,  b.   Dec.   7,   1902. 

CARPENTER. 

Rev.  Charles  C.  Carpenter,  was  b.  at  Bernardston,  Mass..  July  9, 
1836.     His  father  was  Dr.  Elijah  W.  Carpenter,  a  physician  of  that  town. 


42  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXOX. 

Mr.  Carpenter  fitted  for  college  at  Williston  Seminary,  Mass.,  and  at 
Kimball  Union  Academy,  Xevv  Hampshire.  He  studied  theology  at  An- 
dover,  and  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  at  Montreal  in  1860.  He  was  in 
the  service  of  the  Canada  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  principally  at 
Caribou  Island.  Labrador,  from  1858  to  1867.  In  1866  he  was  appointed 
financial  superintendent  of  Robert  College,  Lookout  Mt.,  Term.,  where  he 
remained  until  1872.  In  1875  he  became  pastor  of  a  church  at  South  Pea- 
body,  Mass.,  resigning  in  18S0,  to  accept  a  call  to  a  less  arduous  charge 
at  Mont  Vernon.  The  honorary  degree  of  A.  M.  was  conferred  on  Mr. 
Carpenter  by  Hamilton  College,  Xew  York.  In  1885  he  removed  to  An- 
dover,  Mass.  Mr.  Carpenter  performed  his  work  here  with  energy  and 
fidelity,  so  diligently  and  thoroughly  that  the  impress  long  abided.  He 
was  a  beloved  pastor.  He  now  (1902)  preaches  occasionally,  and  is  editor 
of  a  department  in  the  Congregat'wnalist.  He  is  a  man  of  antiquarian 
tastes,  and  is  extensively  and  accurately  informed  in  many  lines.  He  m. 
May  1,   1862,  Feronia  Rice  of  Auburn,   Mass.     Children  : 

1.  George  Rice,  b.  Labrador,  Oct.  25,  1863,  graduated  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, 1886,  now  Prof.  Rhetoric,  Columbia  University,  m.  Mary  Sey- 
mour, has  one  daughter. 

2.  Charles  Lincoln,  b.  June  17,  1867,  a  graduate  and  post-graduate  of 
Scientific  School,  Dartmouth  College,  188S,  m.  Catherine  F.  Sullivan  of 
Charlestown,   Mass.,  one  child. 

3.  William,  b.  Feb.  9,  1869,  studied  at  Amherst,  three  years,  graduated 
Harvard  University,  1890,  m.  Catherine  Hoyt  of  Xewfane,  Vt.  Sub-Mas- 
ter High  School,  Woonsocket,  R.   I.     One  son. 

4.  Jennie  Bradie,  b.  X'ov.  14,  1871,  graluate  Mt.  Holyoke  Seminary. 
1896. 

5.  Miriam  Feronia,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  21,  1881. 

CARSOX. 

John  J.  Carson,  son  of  John  Carson  and  Hannah  (Austin)  Cars  n, 
of  Lyndeborough,  b.  Lyndeborough,  March  3,  1S16,  lived  on  the  Carleton 
farm  in  the  South  District,  and  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son  in  the 
West  District,  m.  Sarah  Hopkins,  dau.  of  James  and  Azubah  (Curtis) 
Hopkins.  She  was  b.  in  Mont  Vernon  in  1816,  and  d.  Mcnt  Vernon,  Nov. 
18.  1887,  age  71  years.  He  d.  Sept.  15,  1896,  age  80  years.  Children  all  1>. 
in   Mont  Vernon  except   Emily. 

1.  Emily  J.,  b.  Jan.  16,  1843,  Milford,  m.  *David  E.  Upton  of  Xew 
Boston,  resides  XTew  Boston,  had  four  children. 

2.  *George  J.,  b.  Oct.  18,  1848. 

3.  Harriet  J.,  b.  Oct.  19,  1852,  m.  June  24.  1879,  Ira  A.  Parker  of 
Mont  Vernon,  d.  June  26,  1881,  Deering. 

4.  *Frank,  b.  March  26,  1855. 

George  J.   Carson,   son  of  John  J.   and   Sarah    (Hopkins)    Carson,   b. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  4.3 

Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  18,  1848,  m.  Laura  A.,  dau.  David  D.  and  Sophronia 
(Dickinson)  Clark,  of  Lyndeboro'.  She  was  b.  Lyndcboro',  March  7, 
1852.     Farmer,  lives  in  Lyndeboro'.     Children  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Roy  Clark,  b.  Dec.  8,  1879. 

2.  Cora  Alice,  b.  Sept.  20,  1881,  d.  March  5,  1889. 

3.  Flattie  Marion,  b.  Aug.   13,  1883. 

Frank  Carson,  son  of  John  J.  and  Sarah  (Hopkins)  Carson,  b.  Mont 
Vernon.  March  26,  1855,  m.  Aug.  24,  1880,  Eda  M.,  dau.  of  Frank  and 
Mary  G.  (Hooper)  Carson.  She  was  b.  Xcw  Boston,  July  21,  1862, 
farmer,  res.  West  District.     Ch.  : 

1.     Fred,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  April  14,  1881. 

Alexander  Carson,  brother  of  John  J.  Carson,  b.  Lyndeborough,  Dec, 
1822,  settled  in  the  South  District,  m.  Dec.  23,  1843,  Margaretta,  d^  u. 
James  and  Azubah    (Curtis)    Hopkins.     She  was  b.   Dec.   14,   1823.     Ch : 

Twins. 

1.  Sarah  Helen,  b.  Sept.  30,  1844,  d.  Oct.  14,  1867. 

2.  Mary  Ellen,  b.  Sept.  30,  1844,  d.  May  4,  1860. 

3.  Martha  Ann,  b.  Feb.  28,  1846,  m.  *Wallace  D.  Hooper. 

4.  John  Washington,  b.  Nov.  16,  1848,  m.  Julia  Dodge  of  Frances- 
town,  Dec,  1884.  She  was  b.  June,  1850,  dau.  Adoniram  and  Maria 
(Bixby)  Dodge  of  Francestown,  lives  in  Francestown.  Have  ch.,  Ralph 
D.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  23,  1886;  Forrest  G.,  b.  Francestown,  Jan.  18, 
1890. 

5.  Abbie  L..  b.  June  9,  1854,  d.  Oct.  14,  1S67. 

6.  Alwilda,  b.  July.  1855,  d.  Oct.   16,  1867. 

7.  Nettie  M.,  b.  Feb.  20.  1860,  m.  March  29,  1898,  Nathaniel  F. 
Hooper   of   Mont   Vernon,   one   child. 

8.  Theresa  D.,  b.  May  6,  1861,  d.  May  16,  1S67. 

Asa  Carson,  b.  Francestown,  March  10,  1810,  m.  (1)  Edah  Cooper. 
She  d.  Sept.  3,  1858,  m.  (2)  Miss  Annette  Lee.  She  d.  Sept.  0,  1886,  age 
47.     He   d. 

Children  by  first  wife: 

1.  Jacob  W.,  b.   May  27,  1840,  d.  unm. 

2.  Frank  S.,  b.   Sept.  26,  1842. 

3.  Alonzo  S.,  b.   May  15,   1845. 

4.  Eugene  S.,  b.  August  10,  1849. 

5.  Edwin  H.,  b.  Dec.  26,  1855,  lives  Nashua,  m.  Miss  Hall,  dau. 
Samuel  Hall. 

Frank  S.  Carson,  b.  Sept.  26,  1842,  son  of  Asa  and  Edah  (Cooper) 
Carson,  m.  Mary  G.,  dau.  of  Nathaniel  and  Lucy  (Carson)   Hooper.     Ch : 

1.  Eda  M.,  b.  New  Boston,  July  21,  1862,  m.  Aug.  24,  1880,  Frank 
Carson. 

2.  Jessie  Estella,   b.   Brooklyn.   X.   Y.,    March  9,   1864.   m.  John   Har- 


44  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXOX. 

veil   of   Amherst.    May    2.    1884.   two    children.      She    d.    April    26,    1900    in 
Somerville.  Mass. 

CHAPIX. 

Rev.  Stephen  Chapin,  b.  Milford,  Mass.,  in  177s,  a  graduate  of  Har- 
vard in  lso4.  a  pupil  in  divinity  with  the  famous  Dr.  Xathaniel  Em- 
mons of  Franklin,  Mass.,  his  first  settlement  was  in  Hillsborough  from 
lso;,  to  1809.  He  was  Pastor  of  the  Mont  Vernon  church  from  1809  to 
Oct.  isis.  Having  embraced  Calvinistic  Baptist  views  he  resigned  his 
pastorate.  After  a  three  years'  pastorate  as  a  Baptist  clergyman  at  North 
Yarmouth.  Me.,  he  was  in  1S:_>:.\  called  to  a  professorship  in  Waterville 
College,  -Me.,  and  thence  to  the  presidency  of  Columbia  College  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  which  he  occupied  many  years. 

Mr.  Chapin  was  a  man  of  positive  convictions  and  bold,  unadorned 
and  uncompromising  in  his  style  of  preaching.  His  earnest,  able  preach- 
ing and  stringent  discipline  made  a  deep  impression  upon  his  people. 

He  m.  Sally  Mosher,  adopted  dan.  of  Rev.  Daniel  Emerson  of  Hollis. 
Dec.   21,    ISO1.).      They   had   children. 

George  S.  Chapin  of  Auburndale,  Mass.,  graduate  of  Bowdoin  Col- 
lege in   1893,   was  the  principal  of   McCollom    Institute   from    1S98  to   1900. 

CHEFYER. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  Cheever  was  ordained  minister  of  the  Congregational 
Church  here,  Dec.  8,  1819.  He  continued  pastor  until  April  8.  1823,  with 
an  addition  to  the  church  in  the  meantime,  of  twenty-two  members.  He 
baptized  thirty-nine  children  in  less  than  three  years.  In  the  spring  of 
1Sv-'o,  the  first  Sabbath  School  was  organized  here,  being  held  in  the 
schoolhouse  and  composed  exclusively  of  children.  After  leaving  here. 
Mr.  Cheever  was  pastor  of  a  church  in  Waterford,  X.  Y.,  and  at  other 
places  and  d.  in  1866,  age  75  years,  in  Xew  Jersey.  He  was  married 
twice,  his  first  wife  dying  in  Mont  Vernon. 

CLEAVES. 

Nathan  Cleaves,  b.  July  11,  174S,  came  to  Mont  Vernon,  and  settled 
before  the  Revolution.  He  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and  owned  and  oc- 
cupied the  farm  now  Jesse  S.  Trow's.  He  d.  Aug.  25,  1812,  age  64.  His 
wife,  Sarah,  d.  July  1,  1817,  age  67.     His  children  were: 

1.  *Dr.   Nathan   Cleaves,  b.   Mont   Vernon. 

2.  Betsey,  b.  .Mont  Vernon,  m.  Oct.  :!.  1796.  Samuel  Clark  of  Hopkin- 
ton,  had   several  daughters. 

::.     "Xathaniel,  b.    Mont  Vernon.    177S. 

4.  Dorcas,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  m.  John  Kelso  of  Xew  Boston,  had 
several  children. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  45 

5.  *Joshua,  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

6.  John.  1).  Mont  Vernon,  lived  with  his  brother  Joshua,  was  never  m. 

Dr.  Nathan  \V.  Cleaves,  son  of  Nathan  and  Sarah  Cleaves,  b.  Mt. 
Vernon.  177:!,  studied  his  profession  with  Dr.  Benj.  Jones  of  Lyndeboro', 
settled  in  Antrim  in  17'.):!,  and  d.  there  in  1807,  age  33.  His  fever  was 
caused  by  a  ten-mile  walk  on  snow  shoes  to  visit  a  sick  woman.  He  m. 
Jennie  Hopkins  of  Antrim.  Ch. :  Dorcas  W.,  m.  James  Jameson,  June, 
1812,  d.  in  1S48.  She  was  the  mother  of  Nathan  W.  C.  Jameson,  who  is 
the  father  of  Nathan  C.  Jameson  of  Antrim,  a  Democratic  politician  of 
much  note.  2nd  ch.  Robert  Hopkins,  m.  Anne  Jameson,  Sept.  24,  1818, 
lived  where  his  father  died,  was  killed  by  a  fall,  Dec,  1843,  left  rive  ch. : 
Dr.  C.  left   four  other  ch.  :   Solomon,  John,  Luther  and   Calvin. 

Nathaniel,  son  of  Nathan  and  Sarah  Cleaves,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  m.  (  1  ) 
Hannah  Bradford,  April  in,  1704,  m.  (2)  Relief,  dau.  of  Dea.  Ephraim 
Barker,  Jan.,  1806.  He  lived  in  Amherst  many  years.  He  d.  in  Mont  Ver- 
non.  Dec.    16,    1850,   age   72.     Children: 

1.  Miranda,  d.  April,  1803,  age  5  years. 

2.  James  Barker,  b.  Constable,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  7,  1820,  d.  Amherst,  Nov. 
18,  1850,  m.  Joanna,  dau.  of  Capt.  Daniel  and  Dolly  (Hastings)  Harts- 
horn of  Amherst.     She  was  b.  1824,  m.   (2)   Torrey,  he  d.  Waltham, 

Ma^s.,  April  '.),  1867,  one  ch.,  Lucy.     Nathaniel  Cleaves  had  other  children. 

Joshua,  son  of  Nathan  and  Sarah  Cleaves,  b.  Mt.  Verncn,  1787,  was  a 
farmer,  lived  on  his  father's  farm,  m.  Elizabeth  Lincoln  of  Leominster, 
Mass.  He  d.  Jan.  13,  1868,  age  80.  She  d.  Nov.  4,  1856,  aged  72.  Ch.  b. 
Mt.  Vernon  : 

1.  Elizabeth,  b.  1808,  d.  Jan.  17.  1840,  age  32  years,  6  mos. 

2.  Nathan,  graduate  Dartmouth  College,  studied  medicine,  located 
in  Mexico,  and  at  Rio  Grande,  Mexico,  was  shot  by  two  negroes,  Feb., 
1849.     His  age  was  30. 

3.  *Wm.  Lincoln,  b.  April  11,  1821. 

4.  Lydia  Ann,  b.  June  8,  1823,  m.  June  8,  1843,  Charles  B.  Tuttle 
of  Amherst,  had  seven  ch.     She  d.  Milford,  July  26,  1866. 

5.  Augusta,  b.  April,  1826,  a  teacher,  m.  Benj.  C.  Jones  of  Chicago, 
had  one  daughter,  d.  Chicago,  June  5,  1894,  age  68  years,  2  months. 

William  Lincoln  Cleaves,  son  of  Joshua  and  Elizabeth  ( Lincoln ) 
Cleaves,  b.  Mt.  Vernon,  April  11,  1821,  farmer,  lived  on  his  father's  farm, 
also  dealer  in  lumber,  m.  Dec.  8.  1856,  Harriet,  dau.  Rufus  and  Ann 
(Blanchard)  Crosby  of  Milford.  She  was  b.  March  3,  1832,  in  Milford. 
He  d.   Sept.  26,  I860.     One  child: 

1.  William  C.  b.  Milford,  Jan.  12,  1861,  farmer,  res.  with  mother, 
is  unm. 


4G  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXOX. 

CLEMENT. 

Jesse  Clement,  son  of  Jesse  and  Mary  (Cram)  Clement,  b.  Weare, 
Sept.  1,  1796.  His  grandmother  Clement  was  the  youngest  daughter  of 
Hannah  Dustin,  of  Indian  fame.  He  moved  with  his  parents  to  Unity. 
X.  H.,  in  1805;  m.  June  30,  1829,  Eliza  Glidden,  who  d.  Sept.  10,  1891,  age 
86  years.  She  was  the  dau.  of  Stephen  and  Elizabeth  (Jones)  Glidden  of 
Unity,  and  was  b.  July  20,  1S05.  In  1S32,  Jesse  Clement  removed  to 
Lowell,  represented  Lowell  in  the  Massachusetts  legislature  in  1837, 
thence  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1844,  then  Lyndeboro'.  In  1850  he  sat  in  the 
New  Hampshire  Constitutional  Convention  as  delegate  from  Lyndeboro'. 
In  1852  he  was  an  efficient  promoter  of  annexing  the  part  of  Lyndeboro' 
to  Mt.  Vernon,  in  which  his  farm  was  located.  The  place  is  now  owned 
by  Edward  G.  Averill.     He  d.  July  28.   1858,  age  62.     Children: 

1.  Harriet  Celinda,  b.  Lowell,  Dec.  8,  1830,  m.  *Henry  Hiram  Trow, 
Oct.  8,  1856,  d.  March  31,  1897. 

2.  *Stephen  Glidden.  b.  Lowell,  June  15,  1833. 

3.  Henry  J.,   b.  Lowell,  June  16,  1837,  d.  Sept.   15,   1840. 

4.  Mary  E.,  b.  Lowell,  Dec.  26,  1838,  d.  Sept.  16,  1840. 

5.  Ellen  J.,  b.  Lowell,  July  13,  1841,  d.  at  Antrim,  Sept.  30,  1870. 

Stephen  Glidden  Clement,  son  of  Jesse  and  Eliza  (Glidden)  Clement, 
b.  Lowell,  June  15,  1833,  m.  (1)  1865.  Susan  M.  Butler  of  Antrim,  who 
d.  Sept.  18,  1867,  age  33.  m.  (2)  Josiephine  E.,  dau.  of  Trask  W.  and 
Hannah  (Perkins)  Averill,  b.  Sept.  23.  1843,  in  Mont  Vernon.  He  moved 
here  from  Antrim  in  1S77.  He  lived  on  the  farm  in  North  District,  now 
occupied  by  Harry  G.  Blood.  He  d.  here,  Oct.  21,  1888.  She  m.  (2) 
Sept.  23,  1892,  Frank  Brooks  of  Greenfield.     He  d.   May  20.  1903,  one  ch.  : 

1.  Gertrude  E„  b.  Antrim.  Nov.  30,  1872,  res.  Melrose  Highlands. 
Mass. 

Dr.  Thomas  R.  Clement,  b.  Landaff,  X.  H.,  was  taxed  here  from  1852 
to  1860,  in  East  District,  served  in  8th  X.  H.  Regt..  10th  X.  H.  Regt..  and 
18th  Regt.,  in  Civil  War,  m.  May  2,  1855,  Juliette,  dau.  Timothy  and  Bet- 
sey P.   (Gay)   Hartshorn  of  Amherst,  now  resides  Osterville,  Mass. 

CLOUTMAX. 

Capt.  Thomas  Cloutman,  b.  Marblehead,  Ma>s..  Oct.  l.  1761.  moved  to 
Mont  Vernon,  about  1800,  d.  Nov.  18,  1825.  He  lived  where  C.  J.  Smith 
does,  farmer.  He  m.  Sept.,  1788,  Susannah  Haskell,  b.  Sept.  23,  1759.  d. 
Jan.  31,  1838.     Their  children  were: 

1.  Susannah,  b.  Dec.  26,  1789,  d.  Nov.  27.  1794. 

2.  Ruthy,  b.  Oct.  23,  1791,  m.  *Jotham   Richardson.  Dec.   1.  1814 

3.  Sukey,  b.  June  5,   1795,  d.  June   13.    1812 
4      *Thomas.  1).  May  13,  1709 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  47 

Thomas  Cloutman,  Jr.,  son  of  Capt.  Thomas  and  Susannah  (Haskell) 
Cloutman,  b.  Marblehead,  Mass.,  May  13,  1799,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  8, 
1884,  m.  Jan.  23,  1822,  Nancy,  dan.  of  Calvin  and  Esther  (Wilkins) 
Stevens.  She  was  b.  Feb.  11,  1800,  d.  Feb.  15,  1877.  He  lived  on  Clout- 
man farm  ( C.  J.  Smith's)  farmer,  moved  into  village,  was  a  tavern 
keeper.     Children  were  1).  in  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Susan,  b.  March  13,  1823,  m.  May  30,  1850,  *Daniel  Porter  Ken- 
dall. She  d.  Jan.  8,  1S97. 

2.  Nancy  A.,  b.  Oct.  26,  1824,  m.  Sept.  24,  1846,  *William  A.  Stinson. 
She  d.  Oct.   18,  1898. 

3.  Esther  Stevens,  b.  Sept.  28,  1826,  d.  July  30,  1828. 

4.  Esther  Stevens,  b.  June  21,  1828,  m.  Charles  Gray,  Nov.  16,  1848. 
She  d.  Feb.  2,  1851,  age  22  years,  8  months,  leaving  one  daughter,  Mary 
A.,  who  m.  *Thomas  Winters  and  res.  Milford. 

5.  Ruthey  Ellen,  b.  Feb.  20,  1830,  m.  *John  F.  Colby. 

6.  Thomas   Haskell,  b.   March  7,   1832,   d.   Dec.   8,   1833. 

7.  Sarah  Emeline,  b.  May  6,  1834,  m.  *William  H.  Conant. 

8.  Mary,  b.  1836,  d.   March  15,  1841,  age  4  years,  10  months. 

9.  Elizabeth  H.  D.,  d.   Sept.  4,  1840.  age  2  years,  6  days. 

10.  Mary  Elizabeth,  b.  Oct.  24,  1840,  m.  Nov.  24,  1870,  Frederick 
Davis  of  Falmouth,  Mass.  Ch. :  1.  Adolphus,  b.  Dec.  23,  1871,  d.  young; 
2.  Marian  Elizabeth,  b.  June  9,  1873,  m.  June  3,  1896,  Alden  R.  Palmer  of 
Wellington,  O.,  one  ch.,  Lawrence,  b.  1899.  She  d.  at  Mont  Vernon.  Sept. 
1,  1901  ;  3.  Edith  Frances,  b.  Oct.  11,  1880. 

COBURN. 

Josiah  Coburn,  b.  Dracut,  Mass.,  March  31,  1775,  lived  there  until  10 
years  of  age,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  April,  1826,  m.  April  26,  1804,  Judith,  dan. 
of  Dea.  John  and  Judith  (Weston)  Carleton.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon, 
July  8,  1783.  d.  Oct.  5,  1864.  Lived  on  Beech  Hill  Road.  Children  were 
all  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Daniel  Weston,  b.   March   11,   1805,  d.   Oct.   18,   1835. 

2.  *George  Clinton,  b.  July  14,  1806,  d.  Nov.  24,  1835. 
Twins. 

3.  Sabrina,  b.   Sept.  29.  1807,  d.   Feb.  9,  1808. 

4.  Servilla,  b.  Sept.  29,  1807,  d.  Dec.  29,  1807. 

5.  Sabrina.  b.  Aug.  31,  1809,  d.  Feb.  9.  1867,  unm. 

6.  *John  Carleton,  b.  July  21,  1811,  d.  Dec.  17,  1856. 

7.  Emma  Carleton,  b.  Dec.  10,  1812,  d.  Dec.  27,  1834. 

8.  Hannah,  b.  July  21,  1815,  d.  Dec.  31,  1842.  m.  Charles  C.  Durgin  of 
Gilmanton.     No  children. 

9.  Clarissa  Davis,  b.  April  29,  1818.  She  m.  Geo.  W.  Burns  of  Mil- 
ford,  had  one  dan.,  d.  Nov.  3,  1843. 

10.  Samuel,  b.  Dec.  31,  1820,  d.  March  20,  1841  He  m.  Laura  Lam- 
kin  of  Jay,  Me. 


43  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

11.  Henry,  b.  Dec.  3,  1823,  d.  Jan.  30,  1895,  at  Strafford,  N.  H.,  be- 
came a  spiritualistic  doctor,  had  an  adopted  dau. 

12.  *Stephen  Chapin,  b.  Nov.  19,  1825. 

George  Clinton  Coburn,  son  of  Josiah  and  Judith  (Carleton)  Coburn, 
1).  Mont  Vernon,  July  14,  1806,  m.  March  30,  1831,  Mahala,  dau.  of  Daniel 
and  Betsey  (Durant)  Secombe.  She  was  1).  in  Mont  Vernon,  July  27, 
1806.  He  was  a  worthy  mechanic  and  a  devout  Christian.  He  d.  Nov. 
24,  1835,  ch.  b.  Amherst. 

1.  George  E.,  b.  March  11,  1832,  m.  Ellen  Davenport  of  Canton, 
Mass.,  May  21,  1S63,  d.  Fitchburg.  Mass..  Feb.  22,  1881,  two  children. 

2.  Sabrina  Frances,  b.  Aug.  2,  1833,  d.  May  14,  1848. 

John  Carleton  Coburn,  son  of  Josiah  and  Judith  (  Carleton  )  Coburn, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  21,  1811,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  17,  1856,  m.  July  6, 
1835,  at  Lowell,  Julia  Holbrook.  She  was  b.  Frankfort,  Me.,  Sept.  27, 
1809,  d.  July  20,  1S92,  at  Salina,  Kan.  Children  all  b.  in  Lowell.  He  lived 
in  Auburn,  N.  Y.  several  years. 

1.  Charlotte  Emma,  b.  Nov.  22,  1839,  d.  Auburn,  X.  Y.,  April  21, 
1869. 

2.  Julia  Amanda,  b.  March  2.  1S43,  m.  July  28,  I860,  Rev.  William 
Simpkins  of  Auburn,  X.  Y.  They  now  (  1902)  reside  in  Salina,  Kansas,  ch : 
1.  Albert  Gallatin,  b.  Auburn,  X.  Y.,  Nov.  28,  1870,  d.  Dec.  23.  1872;  2. 
Emma  Coburn,  b.  Salina,  Kas.,  Nov.  15,  1873 ;  3.  Louise  Holbrook,  b, 
Salina,  Kas.,  Oct.  30,  1876;  4.  Florence  Lee,  b.  Salina,  Kas,  May  23,  1881. 

3.  Elizabeth  Alden,  b.  June  10,  1850,  d.  June  17,  1870. 

Stephen  Chapin  Coburn,  son  of  Josiah  and  Judith  (Carlet  v.)  Co!. urn, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  14,  1825,  moved  to  Milford  in  the  fifties.  He  carried 
on  a  shoe  store  there  many  years.  He  was  Representative  from  Milford 
from  1879  to  1883,  five  years  Selectman,  being  Chairman  of  the  Board 
four  years.  He  now  (1902)  lives  on  a  farm  in  the  south  part  of  Milford. 
He  m.  Sept.  11,  1856,  Ann,  dau.  of  Aaron  K.  Putnam  and  Polly  (Shat- 
tuck )  Putnam  of  Wilton.  She  was  b.  Wilton,  July  26,  1826,  children  b. 
Milford. 

1.  Mary  E.,  b.  July  9,  1857,  m.  April  8,  1880,  Albert  A.  Gilson  of 
Milford,   two  children,  res.  Walpole,  X.   H. 

2.  Florence  S.,  b.  April  13,  1859,  m.  July  13,  1887,  Wm.  H.  Whit- 
more,   res.   Cleveland,   O. 

3.  Grace  P..  b.  Sept.  9,  1862,  m.  April  30,  1865.  Geo.  A.  McTntire, 
one    child,    res.    Milford. 

4.  S.  Carroll,  b.  June  26,  1866,  m.  1896,  Belle  Goodwin  of  Milford. 
one  child,  grocer  in   Milford. 

5.  Charles   H.,   b.   April   4,   1*74.   druggist  in   Barton,   Vt. 

CODMAX. 
Dr.   Henry  Codman,  b.  Middleton,  Mass.,  Jan.  25,  1744.  d.  in  Amherst, 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  49 

March  14,  1812.     His  wife,  Agnes,  d.  Jan.  19,  1808,  age  69.     He  practised 
medicine  in  Amherst.     Children  : 

1.  Henry  Codman,  Jr..  studied  medicine,  practised  in  Mont  Vernon, 
where  he  d.  July  31,  1806,  age  29  years.  lie  m.  Feh.  19,  1796,  Rehecca, 
dau.  of  Joseph  Langdcll.  She  m.  (2)  Thos.  Hamlin,  May  3,  1837,  and  d. 
May  5,  1855,  aged  76.  Her  remains  rest  by  the  side  of  her  first  husband 
in   Mont  Vernon   Cemetery. 

2.  Catherine,  d.  June  10,  1781,  age  2  years,  3  months. 

Nathan  Codman,  b.  Hillsboro'  Bridge,  m.  Hannah  Cree  of  New  Bos- 
ton. He  d.  Dec.  17,  1874.  She  d.  Aug.  29,  1881.  Children  b.  West  Deer- 
ing,  N.  H. 

1.  George  N.,  b.  July  11,  1867,  res.  Mont  Vernon,  laborer. 

2.  Ida  Jennie,  b.  Sept.  27,  1869,  m.  June  21,  1890,  *Charles  W. 
Blood. 

3.  Harry  W.,  b.   March  9,  1873. 

COGGIN. 

Joseph  Coggin,  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Coggin,  b.  Reading,  Mass., 
March  26,  1740,  m.  Ruth  Hopkins,  moved  from  Wilmington  to  Mont 
Vernon  about  1778  and  settled  on  Potato  Street,  in  the  East  District. 
Their  children  were : 

1.  *William,  b.   Wilmington,   Mass.,   March,   1767. 

2.  *Joseph,  Jr.,  b.  Wilmington,  1771. 

3.  Hannah,  m.    (1)   Fairfield,  m.    (2)   Fairfield,  d.  in  New 

Boston. 

4.  Ruth,  m.  Fairfield,  settled  and  d.  in  New  Boston. 

5.  Sally,  b.  August  28,  1782,  m.  McMillen,  d.  in  New  Boston. 

William  Coggin,  son  of  Joseph  and  Ruth  (Hopkins)  Coggin,  b. 
Wilmington,  in  March,  1767,  lived  on  the  Stiles'  farm,  on  Potato  Street  in 
the  East  District,  was  a  blacksmith  and  farmer,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  18, 
1856,  age  89  vears,  6  months,  m.  (1)  Susannah  Haseltine.  She  d.  Sept. 
20,  1835,  age  65;  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Mary  Reed.  She  d.  Sept.  20,  1871,  aged  85 
years  and  3   months.     His  children   were  b.    Mont   Vernon. 

1.  Susan,  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

2.  *Nathaniel.  b.   Mont  Vernon,  1802. 

3.  John,   m.   Lucinda   Lund,   was   a   furniture   dealer   in   Nashua. 

4.  Nancy,  m.  William  Kelso  of  New  Boston. 

Joseph  Coggin,  Jr.,  son  of  Joseph  and  Ruth  (Hopkins)  Coggin,  b. 
Wilmington,  1771,  m.  Sept.  5,  1795,  Betsey,  dau.  of  Josiah  and  Mary 
(Low)  Herrick  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  in  Wenham,  Mass.,  May  7, 
1769,  d.  in  Mont  Vernon,  April  6,  1846.  He  d.  in  Milford,  Jan.  10,  1849. 
They  settled  on  the  Coggin  homestead  on  Potato  Street  in  the  East  Dis- 
trict, where  they  resided  more  than  fifty  years.  Children  all  b.  in  Mont 
Vernon. 

1.  William,  b.  July  22,  1790.  m.  (l)  Atness  Batchelder,  Dec.  1,  1814, 
m.   (2)   Mrs.  Sarah  (Duncklee)   Peacock.     He  d.  in  Nashua,  May  17,  1864. 

2.  *Daniel,  b.  June  23,  1792,  m.  (1)  Rebecca  Brigham  of  Goshen,  m. 
(2)   Elizabeth  Briar.     He  d.  in   Milford,  Aug.  24,  1872. 

3.  Betsey,  b.  Mav  22.  1796,  d.  in  Amherst,  Sept.  28,  1881,  unm. 

4.  Fanny,  b.  April  27,  1799,  m.  Moses  Foster  of  Milford,  d.  May  9. 
1842. 


50  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

5.  *Luther,  b.  Aug.  16,  1801. 

6.  Mary,  b.  May  23,  1805,  m.  Levi  Duncklee,  d.  Milford,  Dec.  4,  1871. 

Nathaniel  Coggin,  son  of  William,  Sr.,  and  Susannah  Haseltine  Cog- 
gin,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  1802,  moved  to  Milford  in  1835,  resided  in  the  South 
part  of  the  town,  was  a  blacksmith  and  operated  a  sawmill,  removed  to 
Wilton  in  1855,  d.  1870,  m.  (l)  1832,  Hannah,  dau.  of  Isaac  and  Mary 
(Dodge)  Peabody,  b.  New  Boston,  1805,  d.  Milford,  Dec.  14,  1853.  He  m. 
(2)  Eliza  H.,  widow  of  Shubael  Shattuck.  She  was  the  dau.  of  John  and 
Sarah  (Holden)  Knowlton,  and  was  b.  in  New  Ipswich,  July  12,  1799. 
She  d.  Jan.  23,  1863.     Children: 

1.  Chas.  Henry,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July,  1835,  is  a  mechanic,  resides 
San  Francisco,  m.  (1)  Oct.,  1857,  Julia  A.,  dau.  Eldad  and  Mary  (Peter- 
son) Sawtelle  of  Brookline,  N.  H,  m.  (2)  Emily  C,  dau.  of  George  W. 
and  Clarissa  D.  (Coburn)  Burns  of  Milford,  Nov.,  1866,  m.  (3)  Hannah 
Wright,  a  widow,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (Davis)  McAdam,  Jan. 
1877. 

2.  Isaac  Clinton,  b.  Milford,  1837,  is  a  musician  in  San  Francisco, 
m.  July,  1860,  Clara,  dau.  of  Lemuel  and  Rebecca  (Shattuck)  Hall  of 
Brookline,  N.  H. 

Daniel  Coggin,  son  of  Joseph,  Jr.,  and  Betsey  (Herrick)  Coggin,  b. 
June  23,  1792,  at  Mont  Vernon,  was  a  farmer  in  Milford,  resided  on  place 
near  road  to  Amherst,  where  lie  d.  Aug.  31,  1872,  m.  (1)  Rebecca  Brig- 
ham  of  Goshen,  m.  (2)  Elizabeth,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Jane  (Kelly) 
Bryer  (or  Briar),  Feb.  1.  1845.  She  was  b.  Boothbay,  Me.,  June  13, 
1808.     Children  by  first  wife  : 

1.  Eunice  B.,  m.  Joseph  Sanderson  of  Nashua,  d.  there,  1892. 

2.  Eliza,  m.  a  Mr.  Black  of  Roxbury,  Mass.,  d.  there. 

3.  Rebecca,  m.  a  Mr.  Coolidge  of  Somerville. 

4.  Emily,  m.  a  Mr.  Bemis  of  Waltham. 

5.  Joseph,  m.  Roselle  Bundy. 

6.  Henry. 

By  second  wife : 

7.  Frank  F.,  b.  Milford,  March  9,  1847,  resides  Lynn  Centre,  Mass., 
m.  Ellen  M.  Holmes,  has  three  children. 

Luther  Coggin,  son  of  Joseph,  Jr.,  and  Betsey  (Herrick)  Coggin,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  16,  1801.  d.  Amherst,  Jan.  18,  iS77,  m.  (1)  Mary  Har- 
wood,  Sept.  13,  1827.  She  was  the  dau.  of  John  and  Mary  (Carlton) 
Harwood,  and  was  1>.  in  Monl  Vernon.  April  13.  1S07,  d.  Nov.  4,  1S59.  He 
m.  (2)  Mrs.  M.  W.  Warriner  of  Bedford,  March  15,  1860.  He  settled 
in  New  Boston,  where  he  resided  several  years,  thence  he  removed  to  the 
Fletcher  tavern  stand  in  Amherst,  where  he  d.     Children  were: 

1.  Mary  Augusta,  b.  March  16,  1S30.  m.  Sept.  23,  1854. 

2.  Luther,  Jr.,  b.  Jan.  2.  1835,  m.  Mary  L.  Carleton,  May  9,  1861 
lives  in  Amherst,  one  son. 

3.  *John  H,  b.  March   10,  1838. 

John  H.  Coggin,  son  of  Luther  and  Mary  (Harwood)  Coggin,  b. 
New  Boston,  March  10,  1838,  m.  (l)  Harriet  N.,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Eliza- 
beth (Austin)  Secombe,  April  9,  1866.  She  was  b.  Nov.  9,  1838,  d.  Jan. 
8.  1882,  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Dell  Seavey  of  Nashua,  Oct.  23,  1882,  resides  on  the 
Fletcher  place  in  Amherst,  formerly  owned  by  his  father.     Children: 

1.  Frederick  Lampson,  b.  June  11,  1870. 

2.  *George  Whitfield,  b.   NTov.  28,  1871. 


JOHN  H.   COLBY. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  51 

George  Whitfield  Coggin,  b.  Nov.  28,  1871,  moved  to  Mont  Vernon, 
L897,  is  a  blacksmith,  m.  Sept.  30,  1895,  Nellie  A.,  dau.  of  John  and 
Frances  (Little)  Murphy  of  Milford.  She  was  b.  Milford,  March  3J, 
1874,  one  child: 

1.     Guy,  b.   Mont  Vernon,   Aug.  23,   1S97. 

Francis  Coggin,  son  r>i  William  and  Atness  (  Batchelder)  Coggin, 
was  b.  in  Mont  Vernon,  March  17.  1820.  lie  moved  to  Nashua  early  in 
life.  lie  spent  much  of  his  time  before  and  since  the  Civil  War  in  the 
South,  lie  was  a  pioneer  in  the  cotton  business,  and  a  heavy  owner  in  a 
lar^e  number  of  mills.  lie  also  owned  a  controlling  interest  in  the 
Augusta,  Ga.,  Chronicle,  one  of  the  largest  newspapers  in  the  South,  of 
which  he  was  formerly  editor.  Prior  to  the  Civil  War  he  was  a  slave 
owner.     He  d.  in  Nashua,  Jan.   10,   1903.     He  was  m.  but  left  no  children. 

COLBY. 

John  Colby,  son  of  John  and  Prudence  (Dane)  Colby,  b.  Weare, 
April,  1801,  m.  April  29,  IS31.  Mary  11.  Holt  of  Lyndeboro'.  He  d. 
Nov.  5.  18411.  She  d.  at  her  daughter's,  Mrs.  John  M.  Haggett  in  Wilton 
in   1SS0.     Children  b.   in   Pennington. 

1.  Samantha  A.,  b.  March  7,  1832,  m.  Nov.  11.  1851,  John  M.  Hag- 
gett. son  of  James  and  Charlotte  (Merrill)  Haggett  of  Lyndeboro'.  She 
d.  Boston.  May   Hi.  18S4,  one  child.  Carrie  A.,  b.  April  30,  1858. 

2.  *John  Freeman,  b.  March  :;.   1S34 

3.  Augustus  Grovesnor,  b.  May  23,  1838,  m.  Dec.  31,  1859,  Sarah  M. 
Ames  of  Milford.  She  d.  Aug.  26,  18to.  One  child.  Charles  F.,  b.  Jan. 
31,  1861,  d.  July  17,  1861.  Mr.  A.  G.  Colby  attended  the  academy  here, 
and  lived  some  years  in  Mont  Vernon.  He  enlisted  in  the  army  from  Mil- 
ford in  May,  1861,  discharged  for  disability  in  Aug..  1861.  He  enlisted  at 
Lowell  in  1862  in  Second  Mass.  Cavalry  under  General  Butler.  Was 
wounded  in  engagement  at  Port  Hudson  in  summer  of  1*63,  carried  to 
hospital  at  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  where  he  d.  Sept.  2,  1863. 

John  Freeman  Colby,  sun  of  John  and  Mary  H.  (Holt)  Colby,  b. 
Bennington,  March  3.  1834,  d.  while  visiting  in  Hillsboro'.  June  7,  1890. 
He  m.  Jan.  24,  1861,  Ruthey  F...  dau.  of  Thomas  and  Nancy  (Stevens) 
Cloutman.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  20,  1830.  For  extended  ac- 
count of  John  F.  Colby,  see  Chapter  on  "Prominent  Men.'"  in  History 
Manuscript.     Their  children   were: 

1.  John  Henry,  b.  Randolph,  Mass.,  June  13,  1862,  m.  1891,  Annie 
F.  Corneilus  of  Boston,  i-  a  Boston  lawyer,  spends  his  summers  at  Mont 
Vernon,  one  child,  John. 

2.  Charles  Dane.  b.   Mont  Vernon,  June  30,  1865,  d.  Sept.  2,  1865. 

3.  Arthur  Stevens,  b.  Boston,  March  :.'::,  1869,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug. 
25,  1889. 

COLE. 

John  and  Tyler  Cole  lived  in  South  District.  John  Cole  was  killed 
at  the   Battle  of  Bunker   Hill,  June   17,   1775. 

CON  ANT. 

Roger  Conanl.  sou  of  Richard  and  Agnes  Clarke  Conant,  I).  East  Bud- 
leigh,  Devonshire  Co.,  England,  baptized  April  9,  1592,  m.  in  London,  Nov. 


52  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1618  to  Sarah  Norton,  emigrated  with  his  brother.  Christopher,  arriving 
at  Plymouth  in  July,  1623,  he  being  a  Puritan  and  Separatist  did  not  like 
and  after  a  year  went  to  Nantasket  Hull  in  1624.  The  next  winter, 
1624-1625,  he  was  employed  by  the  Dorchester  Co.,  to  manage  all  their 
affairs  in  fishing  and  planting  as  agent,  and  Governor  in  the  fall  of  1625, 
and  there  may  still  be  seen  the  remains  of  a  rude  fort  on  the  west  side  of 
Gloucester  Harbor,  called  by  its  constructors.  "Fort  Conant."  In  1625  or 
1626  he  had  200  under  his  charge,  but  the  business  proved  unprofitable 
and  he  having  heard  of  a  place  called  Naumkeag,  induced  the  companv 
to  close  up  at  Cape  Ann,  and  establish  him  at  Naumkeag,  which  they  did 
after  a  loss  of  3,000  lbs.  sterling.  After  a  couple  of  years,  he  was  super- 
seded by  John  Endicott,  in  1628,  who  came  over  from  England,  with  a 
company  of  emigrants,  representing  a  new  company,  who  had  purchased 
the  interest  of  the  Dorchester  Company.  In  1635-1636  he  moved  over  to 
Beverly,  to  a  200-acre  farm,  which  had  been  granted  him,  and  built  a 
house,  which  stood  on  the  east  side  of  Cabot,  near  Balch  Street.  Jona- 
than Conant  (5th  generation)  was  probably  the  last  of  the  name  who 
lived  in  it.  He  sold  the  northern  part  of  the  homestead  farm  to  Dr. 
Ingalls  Kittredge.  who  m.  his  dau.,  Sarah.  Dr.  Kittredge  built  a  brick 
house,  now  standing.  Roger  Conant  d.  Nov.  19,  1679,  in  the  89th  year 
of  his  age,  place  of  burial  unknown.     Children  were: 

1.  Sarah,  d.  in  infancy. 

2.  Caleb,  b.  London,  came  with  his  parents  to  Massachusetts,  re- 
turned to  England  and  d.  there  in  1663. 

3.  Lot,  m.  Elizabeth  Walton,  and  had  sons,  viz. :  Nathaniel,  John, 
Lot,  William,  Roger. 

Roger's  son  Roger,  b.  Salem,  1626,  first  white  child  b.  there. 

Jonathan  Conant,  5th  generation  from  Roger  (Jonathan,  4;  Lot,  3; 
Lot,  2;  Roger,  1),  b.  Beverly,  Aug.  9,  1737.  He  lived  in  Beverly  on  the 
Roger  Conant  homestead  till  about  1783,  when  he  removed  to  a  farm  on 
Cheny  Hill.  In  1791  he  sold  the  Cheny  Hill  Farm  and  removed  to  Am- 
herst (now  Mont  Vernon).  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary 
War,  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  Committee  of  "Correspondence  and 
Safety."  At  the  Lexington  alarm  he  marched  from  Beverly  to  Boston 
under  Capt.  Peter  Shaw,  he  was  afterwards  paymaster  in  Col.  Francis' 
Regiment,  and  then  in  Col.  Tupper's,  serving  four  years  or  more.  In  1787 
he  was  one  of  the  selectmen  of  Beverly,  Mass.,  and  soon  after  removed  to 
Mont  Vernon,  where  he  d.  He  was  the  second  justice  of  peace  in  Mont 
Vernon.  He  m.  Jan.  30,  1758,  Mercy  Lovett.  He  d.  in  1820.  Children 
were  : 

1.  *Tonathan,  b.  April  11,  1760,  in  Beverlv. 

2.  *Lot,  b.  June  18.  1764,  in  Beverlv. 

3.  Joseph,  baptized  Sept.  28,  1766,  d.  young. 

4.  *Israel,  b.   Nov.    15,   1767. 

5.  Sarah,  baptized  June  3,   1770,   m.  *Dr.   Ingalls  Kittredge. 

6.  Josiah,  baptized  July  7,   1776,   supposed  to  have  d.  young. 

Jonathan  Conant,  fith  generation  (Jonathan,  5;  Jonathan,  4;  Lot,  3; 
Lot,  2:  Roger,  1),  b.  B  verly,  Mass.,  April  11,  1760,  moved  to  Mont  Ver- 
non with  his  parents,  v  1  ere  he  d.  Oct.  28,  1829.  In  1803  his  name  appears 
in  list  of  inhabitants  r  '  Amherst.  In  1811  he  settled  in  Antrim,  N.  H.. 
where  he  remained  un    !  1816,  when  he  returned  to  Mont  Vernon.     He  m. 


WILLIAM  CONANT. 
Deacon  from  1832  to  1875. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  53 

Polly   Baker   of  Wenham,    Mass.,    who    d.    April    26,    1834,   age   GO   years. 
Children  : 

1.  *Israel  Elliott,  b.  Oct.  6,  1789,  in   Mont  Vernon. 

2.  Mehitable,  m.  (1)  *Wm.  Marvell,  m.  (2)  184:;,  *Ezekiel  Upton. 

3.  Ruth,  m.  William  Morgan  of  Beverly. 

4.  Nancy. 

5.  Mary,  m.  Marshall. 

6.  *William,  b.    Mont    Vernon.   Oet.   31,    1802. 

7.  Fanny,  m.  Feb.  24,  1828,  Hiram  Reed  of  Nashua. 

Lot  Conant,  2nd  son  of  Jonathan  Conant,  Esq.,  and  Mercy  (Lovett) 
Conant,  b.  June  18,  1764,  in  Beverly,  moved  to  Mont  Vernon  with  his  par- 
ents, where  he  d.  1833.  He  m.  Mehitable  Woodbury,  who  d.  Dec.  6,  1844, 
age  77.     She  united  with   Mont  Vernon  Church,   May   15,   1797.     Children: 

1.  Jonathan,  d.  young. 

2.  Charlotte,  baptized  Aug.  16,  1801,  m.  Hezekiah  Wallace  of  Beverly 
and  had  children. 

3.  Eliza,  b.  180?,,  m.  1820,  *Jesse  Averill,  Jr. 

Israel  Conant,  6th  generation,  3rd  son  of  Jonathan  and  Mercy 
(Lovett)  Conant,  b.  Beverly.  Nov.  15,  1767,  went  to  Mont  Vernon  with  his 
parents  but  returned  and  settled  in  Beverly,  was  a  cooper,  had  wheel- 
wright house  and  shop,  which  he  built.  It  still  stands  on  Federal  Street. 
Joined  Dane  St.  Church,  1820.  d.  1S45,  m.  about  1809,  Elizabeth  Chapman, 
dau.  Capt.  Isaac  Chapman.  In  Aug.,  1816,  they  lived  in  Mont  Vernon.  He 
m.  (2)  Mary  Cross.  He  had  one  dau.,  Joanna,  who  probably  was  never 
married. 

Israel  Elliott  Conant,  son  of  Jonathan  Conant,  Esq.,  b.  Oct.  6,  1789, 
in  Mont  Vernon.  He  moved  to  Antrim  with  his  parents  in  1811,  and  about 
the  close  of  1816  to  New  Haven,  Vt.  He  d.  Vergennes,  Vt.,  1857.  He  m. 
Eliza  Holt  of  Antrim,  Nov.  3,  1815,  had  five  sons  and  two  daughters.  One 
of  his  daughters,  Mary,  m.  1S20,  Augustus  Marshall  of  Dunstable. 

Dea.  William  Conant,  7th  generation,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Polly 
(Baker)  Conant,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  31,  1802,  removed  to  Somerville, 
Mass.  He  was  deacon  of  the  Mont  Vernon  church,  forty-three  years. 
He  was  a  prominent  citizen  and  worked  earnestly  for  the  town's  develop- 
ment along  the  best  lines,  and  was  among  those,  who  sought  to  give  the 
community  an  exceptional  position  in  regard  of  those  who  sought  the 
best  things,  fie  m.  Hannah  Fornis  of  Beverly,  Sept.,  1828,  b.  Nov.  25, 
1805.  She  d.  Dec.  11,  1883.  He  d.  at  Somerville,  Mass.,  Feb.  20,  1S90. 
Children  all  b.  in  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *William  Henry,  b.  June  5,  1829. 

2.  *Albert,  b.  Oct.  19,  1830. 

3.  *Charles  Edwin,  b.  June  30,  1832. 

4.  *Walter    Scott,   b.    June    8,    1834. 

5.  John,  b.  March  1,  1836,  d.  April  8,  1836. 

6.  *Harlan  Page,  b.  March  3,  1837. 

7.  Martha  Ellen,  b.  Nov.  30,  1842,  d.  Somerville,  Mass.,  May  18,  1884. 

8.  Fanny  Lovett.  b.  April  1,  1844,  m.  June  21,  1870,  *Henry  A.  Ken- 
dall of  Somerville,  Mass.,  d.  April  8,  1901. 

9.  Marcella  Eliza,  b.  Dec.  3,  1845,  m.  *Dr.  Charles  M.  Kittrcdge,  d. 
Fishkill-on-the-Hudson,  Aug.  4,  1892. 


54  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Deacon  William  Henry  Conant,  8th  generation  from  Roger  Conant, 
son  of  Dea.  William  and  Hannah  (Fornis)  Conant,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June 
5,  1829.  He  was  deacon  of  the  Congregational  Church  here  since  1875, 
and  was  active  in  church  matters.  He  was  for  many  vears  a  member  of 
Conant  Bros.  Co.  He  d.  May  3,  1903,  he  m.  May  25,  18*54,  Sarah  Emeline, 
dau.  Thomas  and  Nancy  (Stevens)  Cloutman.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon, 
May  6,  1834.     Children  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Ellen  Frances,  b.  Dec.  18,  1857,  m.  Sept.  30,  1885,  *Col.  William 
H.  Stinson  of  Mont  Vernon,  res.  Goffstown. 

2.  Ada  Emeline,  b.  Sept.  6,  1859,  m.  Jan.  6,  1884,  *Francis  C.  Green- 
wood. 

3.  Willie,  baptized  April,  1861,  d.  Mav  3,  age  4  months. 

4.  Cecil  Franklin,  b.  Feb.  20,  1863,  d. 'April  18,  1873. 

5.  Mary  Grace,  b.   March  24,  1865. 

6.  Albert  Fornis,  b.  May  6,  1869,  m.  Oct.  15,  1896,  Beatrice  E.  Sy- 
monds  of  Salem,  Mass.,  one  daughter,  resides  in  Boston. 

7.  Freddie,  b.  Dec.  17,  1872,  d.  Aug.  16,  1873. 

8.  Ruth  Stevens,  b.  Nov.  26,  1876. 

Deacon  Albert  Conant,  8th  generation,  son  of  Deacon  William  and 
Hannah  (Fornis)  Conant,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  19,  1830,  m.  (1)  Eliza 
Ann  Beard,  who  d.  Aug.  1,  1863,  age  31  years,  7  months;  m.  (2)  Susan 
Frances  Bancroft,  sister  Dr.  C.  F.  P.  Bancroft.  She  was  b.  New  Ipswich, 
Oct.  25,  1836,  d.  Charlestown,  Mass.,  Jan.  30,  1885.  Deacon  Conant  is  a 
deacon  in  the  Union  Congregational  Church,  Boston,  is  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Conant  Bros.  Co.,  73  Union  Street,  Boston.  He  has  a  summer 
residence  in  Mont  Vernon.     Children  by  first  wife  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Isabel  Eliza,  b.  May  23,  1859,  m.  George  Greenwood,  son  of  Dex- 
ter Greenwood  of  Hollis.  She  d.  East  Orange,  N.  J.,  Sept.  2,  1890,  age 
31  years,  4  months. 

2.  Carrie  Frances,  b.  Dec.   22,   1860,  d.  Dec.  27,   1860. 
Children  by  second  wife  b.  Charlestown,  Mass. 

3.  Alice  Bancroft,  b.  Oct.  19,  1868,  m.  April  20,  1899,  Fred  T.  Wad- 
leigh  of  Milford,  resides  in  Milford  and  has  two  sons. 

4.  Annie  Sanborne,  b.  Feb.  10,  1871,  m.  Nov.  20,  1901,  William  E. 
Horton  of  Boston,  resides  Boston. 

5.  Harry  Winthrop,  b.  Feb.  5,  1875,  is  a  law  student. 

6.  John  Bancroft,  b.  April  17,  1878,  is  an  electrician. 

Deacon  Charles  Edwin  Conant,  8th  generation,  son  of  Deacon  William 
Conant,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  30,  1832.  m.  March  28,  1860,  Marion  Craw- 
ford Wallace  of  Manchester.  She  was  b.  in  Antrim,  May  28,  1835.  He 
resides  in  Boston.     Children  b.  Winchester. 

1.  Charles  Arthur,  b.  July  2,  1861,  is  a  financial  journalist. 

2.  Grace  Wallace,  b.  Sept.  8,  1864,  m.  Rev.  Frederick  H.  Page,  pastor 
of  the  Trinity  Congregational  Church,  Lawrence,  Mass. 

Deacon  Walter  Scott  Conant,  8th  generation,  son  of  Deacon  William 
Conant,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  8,  1834,  d.  June,  1900,  New  York  City, 
buried  in  Mont  Vernon.  He  was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  War  for  the  Union. 
For  many  years  he  was  a  manufacturer  of  wood,  plush  and  leather  boxes, 
and  writing  desks,  in  New  York  City,  m.  Mary  Larkin  Lewis  of  Boston. 
Children: 

1.  Mabel  Frances,  b.   Charlestown,    Mass.,  June   1,   1867. 

2.  Roger  Lewis,  b.  April  1,  1873,  at  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  graduate  of 
Columbia  University,  teacher  in  Porto  Rico. 


WILLIAM  H.  CONANT. 
Deacon   from  1875  to   1903. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  55 

Deacon  Harlan  Page  Conant,  8th  generation,  son  of  Deacon  William 
Conant,  b.  Mont  Vernoiij  March  3,  1837.  lie  is  a  member  of  Conant  Bros. 
Co.,  Union  Street,  Boston,  and  resides  in  Somerville.  He  m.  Feb.  16, 
1864,  Sarah  P.  Chase  of  Boston.     Children: 

1.  Bertha  Adams,   b.   Charlestown,  Mass.,  Feb.  3,  1807. 

2.  William  Chase,  b.  Oct.  4,  1SG8,  Charlestown,  Mass.,  m.  Miss 
Harvvood  of  Decatur,   111. 

3.  Helen  Pearson,  b.  Nov.  11,  1870  at  Charlestown,  Mass. 

4.  Sarah  Florence,  b.  Somerville,  Aug.  14,  1876. 

Joseph  Conant,  Sth  generation  (Ezra,  7;  John,  6;  John,  5;  John,  4; 
John,  3;  Lot,  2;  Roger,  1  ),  b.  May  16,  1816  at  Beverly,  Mass.,  by  trade  a 
cabinet  maker.  He  removed  from  Beverly  to  Mont  Vernon  and  bought  a 
farm  in  the  East  District,  where  he  now  resides.  lie  m.  Sept.  19,  1844, 
Abigail,  dau.  of  John  and  Mary  (Stewart)  Elliott,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb. 
9,   1826.     Children: 

1.  Abigail  J.,  b.  Jan.  31,  1S47,  m.  Stephen  F.  Hathaway  of  Beverly. 

2.  Mary,  b.  Dec.  23,  1S4S,  resides  with  her  parents,  unm. 

3.  Alethca,  b.  May  20,  1850,  m.  John  W.  Bell  of  Beverly.  She  d. 
Sept.  27,  1900  at  Beverly. 

4.  Joseph  Frank,  b.  May  11,  1S56,  in  business  in  Boston. 

5.  Charles  E.,  b.  Dec.  23,  1858,  d.  Woburn,  Mass.,  Oct.  23,  1888,  left 
a  widow  and  children. 

6.  Josiephine,  b.   May  G,   1861,   d.    Sept.   4,    1861. 

7.  Willard  E.,  b.  March  21,  18GG,  d.  New  York  City,  March  22, 
1893,    was   a    teacher. 

COX. 

George  Wilbert  Cox,  b.  Upper  Stcwicke,  Col.  Co.,  Nova  Scotia,  July 
9,  1856,  m.  Sept.  24,  1881,  at  Wolfeville,  King's  Co.,  N.  S.,  Evangeline 
Davidson,  b.  Wolfeville,  May  23,  1861.  He  graduated  at  Acadia  College 
in  1880,  taught  school  a  few  years,  was  then  in  business,  took  a  post- 
graduate course  at  Harvard  University,  graduating  in  1895.  He  was 
principal  of  McCollom  Institute.  Mont  Vernon,  N.  11.,  1S95  to  1898,  went 
to  take  charge  of  Bellows  Falls  Schools,  Yt.,  in  1S9S,  is  now  superintend- 
ent of  schools,  Ware,  Mass.    One  child : 

1.     Laurie  Wilbert,  b.  Londonderry,  N.  S.,  Aug.  18,  1883. 

CROOKER. 

James  M,  son  Melzar  and  Abigail  R.  (Cox)  Crooker,  b.  Amherst, 
Feb.  28,  1816,  d.  East  part  of  Mont  Vernon.  April  3,  188S,  m.  Oct.  19,  1842, 
Sarah  J.  Smith,  b.  Augusta,  Me.,  Jan.  15,  1817.     Children  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mary  E.,  b.  Oct.  5,  1843,  d.  March  9,  1846. 

2.  Joseph  H,  b.  May  23,  1845,  d.  Aug.  21,  1847. 

3.  James  Henry,  b.  Aug.  3,  1S47,  m.  Julia  Hartshorn,  Feb.  18,  1873, 
resides   in    Pennsylvania. 

4.  Olive  J.,  b.  Oct.  7,  1850,  d.  unm.,  April  26,  1870. 

5.  Sarah  Ann,  b.  Oct.  24,  1853.  m.  (l)  Oct.  7,  1871,  C.  A.  Lowd,  m. 
(2)   David  Rhodes,  Aug.  17,  1879,  lives  in  Amherst. 

6.  Clara  M.,  b.  Dec.  26,  1858,  m.  Jan.  17,  1882,  Leander  B.  Barker, 
has  one  child. 


56  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

CROSBY. 

Joseph  Fitch  Crosby,  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Richardson)  Crosby, 
b.  Amherst,  Sept.  16,  1819.  He  m.  March  28,  1847,  Helen  M.,  dau.  of 
James  J.  and  Lucy  W.  (Burnham)  Averill  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b. 
March  15,  1827,  d.  Milford,  Nov.  14,  1879.  He  moved  to  Mont  Vernon 
in  1855,  living  on  his  father-in-law's  farm  13  years,  in  the  South  District, 
then  removed  to  Milford.     He  d.  Milford,  March  11,  1900.     Children: 

1.  Grace  Helen,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  June   13,   1858. 

2.  Catherine  Belle,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  21,  1860,  d.  Oct.,  1894. 

CURTIS. 

Jacob  Curtis  (or  Curtice),  b.  Boxford,  Mass.,  m.  Mary  Stiles  of 
Boxford,  Mass.,  May  26,  1752,  settled  first  in  Boxford,  whence  they 
moved  about  1757  to  Mont  Vernon,  served  in  the  Revolution,  was  a  tax- 
payer here,  in  1804  moved  to  Antrim.  He  d.  1829,  age  70.  Children  b. 
Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Lemuel,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  m.  Mary  Smith,  Feb.  9,  1779,  re- 
moved to  Antrim  in  1804,  had  six  children. 

2.  Stephen,  b.  1755,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  m.  Abigail,  dau.  of 
William  Small  of  Amherst.  She  d.  Jan.  10,  1782.  He  removed  to  An- 
trim in  1784,  and  d.  there  in  1832,  had  seven  children. 

3.  Isaac  Palmer,  b.  June  23,  1758,  a  soldier  at  "The  Cedars,"  and  at 
Bennington. 

4.  Ebenezer,  b.  June  9,  1760,  a  soldier  in  the  Continental  Army  in 
1781,  m.  Sarah  Parker,  Dec.  29,  1784. 

5.  Elizabeth,  b.  March  8,  1762,  m.  Isaac  Carter,  July  10,  1787. 

6.  Marv,  b.  April  15  ,1764. 

7.  John,  b.  Jan.  29,  1766. 

8.  Asaph,  b.   May  3,   1768,  d.  Jan.  4,  1769. 

9.  Asaph,  b.  Jan.  15,  1770. 

10.  Abel,  b.  July  8,  1772. 

11.  Sarah,  b.  Oct.  28,  1774. 

Levi  Curtis,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Lydia  Earle  Curtis,  b.  Mont  Ver- 
non, 1792,  m.  Lydia  Kinson  (aunt  of  Geo.  Kinson),  of  Mont  Vernon.  He 
moved  to  Antrim,  Feb.,  1825,  d.  there  in  1861,  leaving  eight  children  of 
whom  the  seventh  was  Andrew  J.,  b.  Antrim,  1833,  m.  Lucy  N.  Barrett  of 
Hadley,  N.  Y.,  May  4,  1856.  Had  eight  children,  the  sixth  of  whom  was 
Stillman  E.,  b.  Oct.  22,  1866,  m.  Lucy  G.  Murdough  of  Hillsboro',  res. 
Mont  Vernon.     Children : 

1.  Homer  E.,  b.   Nov.  6,  1896. 

2.  Mabel  M.,  b.  Aug.  9,  1898. 

CARR. 

Alexander  M.  Carr,  son  of  Dea.  James  and  Ann  (Patterson)  Carr, 
was  b.  in  Antrim,  Dec.  15,  1791,  m.  Hannah  Mcllvaine,  April  18,  1817,  d. 
in  Amherst,  Jan.  28,  1869.  She  was  b.  Oct.  6,  1792,  d.  Bedford,  July  11, 
1879.  They  lived  in  various  places  in  Antrim  and  Bedford,  lived  in  Mont 
Vernon  about  five  years,  first  on  the  "David  Stiles"  place  in  the  East 
District,  and  then  on  the  place  now  owned  by  Miss  Lizzie  R.  Parker. 
He  moved  from  here  to  Amherst,  where  he  d.  Jan.  28,  1869.     Children: 

1.  Sabra  G.,  b.  1818,  m.  Abram  J.  Twiss,  lived  in  Mont  Vernon  and 
Manchester. 


ALBERT   CONANT. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  57 

2.  Lorenzo  C,  b.  Antrim,  m.  Caroline  Hastings,  d.  Amherst,  where 
he  had  lived  36  years,  Feb.  22,  1903,  age  S2  years.     One  son,  Edward  N. 

3.  Elizabeth   M.,  num.,  lived   in    Bedford. 

4.  Mark  M.,  m.  (1)  Emma  Ferson  of  Goffstown,  m.  (2)  Mary  A. 
Clement    of    Hillsboro',    d.    Manchester,    187:3. 

5.  Hannah  J.,  m.  Timothy  Jones  of  Amherst. 

6.  Alexander  M.  Jr.,  d.  mini,  age  25  years. 

UALAND. 

Samuel  Daland,  m.  Oct.  25,  1842,  Sophia  Goodridge,  adopted  dan.  of 
Sardis  and  Charlotte  Goodridge  Johnson.  She  was  b.  in  Bedford,  Mass. 
He  lived  for  many  years  on  the  farm  now  of  George  C.  Hadley,  moved  to 
Milford,  where  he  d.  Sept.  17,  1887,  age  76.     She  d.  May  13,  1899,  age  74. 

DAVIS. 

Benjamin  F.  Davis,  son  of  Rev.  Joseph  and  Alphia  (Goldsmith) 
Davis,  b.  New  London,  N.  H.,  July  4,  1826,  m.  Sept.  22,  1859,  Caroline  S., 
clau.  of  John  and  Hannah  (French)  Averill  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was 
1).  in  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  15,  1832.     They  reside  in  Mont  Vernon. 

DEAN. 

George  Dean  was  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Abigail  Ellis  Dean,  of  Ded- 
ham,  Mass.,  b.  Oct.  3,  1766,  m.  Ruthy  Morse,  of  Canton,  Mass.,  March  7, 
1800,  and  went  to  Francestown,  N.  H.  to  live.  Mr.  Dean  was  a  farmer 
and  miller  by  occupation  and  owned  the  saw-mill  and  grist-mill  at  Mill 
Village.  In  1817  he  moved  to  Hopkinton,  and  1820  to  Dunbarton ;  May, 
1821,  Mr.  Dean  moved  to  Mont  Vernon,  N.  H.,  and  bought  the  farm 
owned  by  the  Rev.  Stephen  Chapin,  directly  south  of  the  meeting  house. 
Here  he  remained  until  his  death,  which  occurred  after  a  long  and  pain- 
ful illness  of  over  five  years,  Aug.  29,  1834;  Ruthy  Morse  Dean  d.  Sept. 
8,  1872,  aged  91  years,  9  months.  Caroline  (their  daughter),  b.  in 
Francestown,  April  23,  1801,  m.  Capt.  Pliny  Whitnev,  of  Milford,  N.  H., 
Oct.  23,  1823  and  d.  in  Milford,  May  8,  1886.  George  Ellis  (their  son), 
b.  in  Francestown,  Oct.  18,  1808.  George  Ellis  remained  with  his  father 
on  the  farm  in  Mont  Vernon,  N!  H.,  as  long  as  he  lived,  and  at  the, age 
of  24,  was  made  Lieutenant  of  the  5th  Regiment,  N.  H.  Militia.  June  11, 
1837,  m.  in  Mont  Vernon,  Augusta  Kendall,  of  Leominster,  Mass.,  dau.  of 
Asa  and  Lydia  (Adams)  Kendall,  and  went  to  Concord,  Mass.,  entering 
the  business  of  stove  dealer  and  plumber.  Mr.  Dean  was  made  a  deacon 
of  the  First  Congregational  Church  and  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
School.  In  April,  1850,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dean  returned  to  Mont  Vernon, 
N.  H..  and  June  10,  1855,  Mrs.  Dean  died  suddenly  in  Boston  while  at- 
tending a  meeting  of  the  American  Board.  June  30,  1857,  Mr.  Dean  m. 
(2)  Alma  Holt  Bruce,  formerly  of  Milford,  N.  H.,  and  bought  the  home- 
stead of  Asa  Kendall,  where  he  remained  until  he  died.  Mr.  Dean  was 
chosen  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday  School,  in  which  capacity  he  served 
for  35  consecutive  years,  also  Deacon  of  the  Church,  which  position  he 
filled  until  his  death.  Deacon  Dean  was  one  of  the  8  citizens  of  the  town 
who  formed  the  first  board  of  trustees  for  the  building  of  an  academy, 
one  of  the  building  committee  when  McCollom  Institute  was  built  (for- 
merly Appleton  Academy),  three  years  later  and  always  remained  an 
active  trustee  and  promoter  of  the  cause  of  education.  He  filled  many 
town  offices  and  always  maintained  the  honor  and  respect  of  his  fellow- 


58  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

men.  Deacon  Dean  was  one  of  the  self-made  men  of  his  generation,  and 
of  the  grand  old  Puritan  stock.  He  d.  Feh.  26,  1891.  Alma  Holt  Dean  d. 
Dec.  31,  1891.  Helen  Augusta  (their  dau.),  was  b.  in  June,  1858,  and  d. 
Nov.,  1858.  Harriet  Alma  (2nd- dau.),  b.  Sept.,  1860.  Resides  in  Boston, 
Mass. 

DEARBORN. 

Dr.  Samuel  Gerrish  Dearborn,  b.  Aug.  10,  1827,  at  Northfield,  N.  H., 
son  of  Edmund  and  Sarah  Dearborn,  educated  at  Sanbornton  Academy, 
and  New  Hampshire  Conference  Seminary  at  Tilton.  Graduated  at 
medical  department  of  Dartmouth  College  in  Nov.,  1849,  located  in  prac- 
tice at  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.,  1850,  removed  to  Milford  in  June,  1853.  While 
there  he  served  one  year,  fall  of  1861  to  fall  of  1862,  in  the  Eighth  New 
Hampshire  Regt.  of  Volunteers  in  Mississippi  and  Louisiana,  as  surgeon. 
In  summer  of  1864  he  served  three  months  as  surgeon  in  the  9th  Corps 
Hospitals  in  front  of  Petersburg,  Va.  Later  he  was  commissioned  sur- 
geon of  the  new  18th  Regt.,  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  but  the  war  ended 
before  the  regiment  left  the  state.  During  Grant's  first  administration  he 
was  U.  S.  Pension  Examining  Agent  for  the  Milford  district.  In  1868- 
1869  he  was  one  of  the  two  representatives  for  Milford  in  the  state  legis- 
lature. May,  1873,  he  removed  to  Nashua.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
eminent  physicians  in  New  Hampshire.  He  m.  Dec.  5,  1853,  Henrietta  M., 
dau.  of  Dea.  Joseph  A.  and  Maria  J.  (Bruce)  Starrett  of  Mont  Vernon. 
She  was  b.  in  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  29,  1834,  d.  in  Nashua,  June  29,  1893. 
He  d.  Nashua,  May  8,  1903.     Children: 

1.  Dr.  Frank  A.,  b.  Milford,  Sept.  21,  1857,  a  practising  physician  in 
Nashua,  m.  a  Miss  Clara  K.  Laton  of  Nashua,  has  one  child. 

2.  Dr.  Samuel  S.,  b.  Milford,  Jan.  30,  1872,  graduated  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, 1894,  graduated  from  its  medical  department  in  1898,  resides 
Nashua,  m.  Miss  May  Chandler,  dau.  of  John  D.  Chandler,  Esq.,  of 
Nashua. 

DIKE. 

Benjamin  Dike,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  was  killed  in  battle  at 
Bemis'  Heights,  Oct.  7,  1777.  He  m.  Dorothy  Stearns.  She  m.  (2) 
William    Hastings.     Children,   Benjamin  and  Dorothy  Dike,  were: 

1.  Betty,  b.  Aug.  18,  1772. 

2.  Samuel  Stearns,  b.  July  5,  1774,  m.  Flanders. 

3.  Benjamin,  b.  Oct.  10,  1776. 

Stephen  Dike,  probably  a  younger  brother  of  Benjamin,  was  placed 
under  the  guardianship  of  Dr.  Henry  Codnian,  March  31,  1779,  being  then 
above  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  seems  to  have  served  in  Col.  Moses 
Kelley's  regiment  for  the  town  of  New  Boston  in  1779.  He  was  a  son  of 
Benjamin  Dike  of  Tewksbury. 

DODGE. 

Richard  Dodge,  one  of  two  brothers  (William  and  Richard),  emi- 
granted  from  Somersetshire,  Eng.,  in  1638,  and  settled  in  the  north  part 
of  Beverly,  Mass.,  near  the  line  of  Wenham.  He  was  b.  in  1602,  and  d. 
in   1671,  leaving  a  widow,   Edith.     He  had   five   sons  and   two   daughters. 

Josiah  Dodge,  5th  generation   (Jonathan,  4;  Jonathan,  3;  Edward,  2; 


SAMUEL  G.  DEARBORN,  M.  D. 


HENRY  F.  DODGE. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  59 

Richard,  1),  b.  Beverly,  June  23,  17-15.  He  lived  on  the  old  Dodge  farm 
on  Purgatory  Hill,  lie  lived  awhile  at  Beverly,  and  went  {<<  sea  till  four 
years,  after  he  was  married.  He  m.  May  14,  L771,  Ellinor  Edwards  of 
Wenham,  Mass.,  whose  mother's  maiden  name  was  Abigail  Allen.  From 
Beverly  he  moved  first  to  Wolfeboro',  X.  H.,  but  in  1772,  bought  land  in 
Mont    Vernon.      Children  : 

1.  Abigail,   b.    Sept.    19,    1774,   m.    *Ezekiel   Upton   of   Mont   Vernon. 

2.  Molly,  b.   1776,   m.   William   Montgomery,   went  to   Walden,   Vt. 

3.  Eleanor,  b.  177S,  m.  Thomas  Needham,  lived  near  Montpelier,  Vt. 

4.  *Allen,   b.    Jan.    18,    1780. 

5.  Malachi,  b.  April  s,   1784,  d.  unm.  on  homestead,  March  31,  1854. 

Allen  Dodge,  6th  generation  (Josiah,  5;  Jonathan,  4;  Jonathan,  3 ; 
Edward,  2;  Richard,  1).  son  of  Josiah  and  Abigail  (Allen)  Dodge,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  is,  1780,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  13,  isi',3.  m.  (1) 
April,  11,  1808,  Abigail  Langdell,  dau.  of  *Joscph  Langdell.  She  was  b. 
Feb.  25,  17S2,  d.  Oct.  17,  1812.  He  m.  (2)  .Mary  Upton  of  Mont  Vernon. 
March  6,  1S27,  he  m,  (3)  widow  Rachel  Emerson  of  Swansea,  N.  H., 
with  nine  children,  one  of  whom  was  Robert  Emerson,  a  prominent 
citizen  of  Nashua.  She  was  b.  April  20,  17SO,  d.  July  27,  1868.  He  lived 
on  Purgatory  Hill  on  the  homestead.  Xo  children  by  last  marriage. 
Children  by  1st  wife: 

1.  *  Henry  Codman,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  7,  1811. 
Ch.  by  2nd  wife,  b.   Mont  Vernon: 

2.  Allen,  b.  Aug.   7,   1820,  m.   Abby  Hildreth,   d.    March   13,   1852. 

3.  Betsey  Upton,   b.   March  12,  1822. 

4.  Mary  Ann,  b.  April  3,  1824,  m.  Harvey  Mason  of  Nashua,  one 
son.  She  d.  Nov.  2,  185S.  One  son,  Charles  A.  Mason,  b.  May  3,  1853, 
yet  living. 

Henry  Codman  Dodge,  7  (Allen,  fi:  Josiah,  5;  Jonathan,  4;  Jonathan, 
3;  Edward,  2;  Richard,  1),  son  of  Allen  and  Abigail  (Langdell)  Dodge, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  7,  1811,  taught  school  some  when  young,  was  a 
farmer  in  his  native  town,  through  a  long  life,  was  selectman  for  some 
years  and  representative  in  1S65.  He  d.  Feb.  12,  1897.  M.  June  14,  1836, 
Sophia  M.,  dau.  of  Robert  and  Rachel  Emerson  of  Marlboro',  N.  H.  She 
was  b.  Jan.  23,  1814,  d.  June  9,  1S98.  He  lived  on  Purgatory  Hill,  moved 
to  South  District.     Ch.  all  b.  in  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *Henry  Francis,   b.    May   17,   1838. 

2.  Abby  Sophia,  b.  July  1,  1840,  m.  March  20,  I860,  William  M. 
Hall  of  Bradford,  Mass.,  who  d.  Dec.  9,  1871.  She  d.  Dec.  13,  1875.  One 
son,  William  H.,  b.  Dec.  2,  18GG,  who  is  m.  and  lives  in  Bellows  Falls, 
Vt. 

3.  Rachel  Anna,   b.   June   27,   1842,   resides   with   her  brother,   unm. 

4.  Emily  Francilla,  b.  Aug.  15,  1845.  She  was  an  accomplished  wo- 
man and  a  poetess  of  merit,  m.  Oct.  21,  1S74,  Thomas  Simpson  of  Law- 
rence, Mass.  He  d.  Jan.  25,  1885.  She  m.  (2)  James  Simpson  (her 
brother-in-law V  of  Xew  York  City,  April  6,  1887.  _  She  d.  July  22,  1887. 
He  d.  1894.  The  Simpsons  were  of  the  firm  of  Simpson,  Crawford  and 
Simpson,  large  dry  goods  dealers  in  XTew  York  City.     Two  ch.  : 

1.  Oswald,  L.,  b.  Nov.   12,   1877,  is  m. 

2.  Emily  M..  b.  Oct.  31,  1S79,  is  now  Mrs.  Hunt. 

5.  Ella   Maria,  b.  Dec.   4,   1849,   d.   unm..   March   5,    L871. 

Henry    Francis    Dodge,    Sth    generation     (Henry    C,    7;     Allen,    6; 


60  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Josiah,  5;  Jonathan,  4;  Jonathan,  3;  Edward,  2;  Richard,  1),  son  of 
Henry  C.  and  Sophia  (Emerson)  Dodge,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  17,  1838, 
a  farmer  owning  the  homestead  of  his  great  grandfather,  Joseph  Lang- 
dell,  in  South  District,  received  academic  education,  has  held  the  office 
of  selectman  and  representative,  m.  Jan.,  1864,  Laura  Ruthy,  dau.  of 
William  and  Sarah  (Smiley)  Parker  of  New  Boston,  b.  Dec.  20,  1844. 
Ch.  b.  in   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Flora  Lillian,  b.   May  29,   1865,  d.  June   11,   1865. 

2.  Fannie  Laura,  b.  September  29,  1867,  m.  April  16,  1891,  William 
D.  Clark  of  Amherst,  resides  Amherst,  and  has  two  children. 

3.  Clara  Ella,  b.  Sept.  24,  1873,  m.  April  12,  1899,  Fred  A.  Holt  of 
Milford,    resides    Milford   and   has   one   ch. 

4.  Allen  Parker,  b.  Dec.  27,  1878,  d.  Jan.  12,  1879. 

5.  Abbie    Sophia,    b.    Sept.    6,    1880. 

DILLON. 

Lawrence  Dillon,  b.  Middlesex  Village,  Mass.,  in  1837,  came  here 
with  his  family  from  Waterhury,  Conn.,  in  1881,  lived  on  the  farm  now 
occupied  by  Stephen  Carpenter,  removed  to  Waterbury,  Conn.,  in  1887, 
where  he  now  resides.  He  is  a  mechanic,  m.  Katherine,  dau.  of  Pierce 
Holt   of   Lyndeboro'.      She    was   b.    in    1847.      Children: 

1.  Ulysses  S.,  b.  1866,  in  Prospect,  Conn.,  m.  Nellie  Humphrey  of 
Waterbury,  Conn.,  res.  New  Britain,  Conn.,  is  a  tool-maker. 

2.  Hattie  S.,  b.  Waterbury,  Conn.,  1868,  m.  E.  Willis  Bradley,  lives 
Waterbury,  Conn.     He  is  not  living. 

3.  Walter,  b.  Waterbury.  Conn.,  in  1872,  is  manager  Boys'  Club 
Work  in   Chelsea  and   Somerville,   Mass. 

4.  George,  b.  Waterbury,  Conn.,  Aug.  20,  1875,  is  a  mechanic  in 
New    Britain,    Conn. 

5.  Clara  A.,  b.  Jan.  1881,  res.  Waterbury,   Conn. 

DOUGLASS. 

Daniel  Douglass,  m.  Mehitable  Johonnot  of  Goffstown.  They  lived 
in  the  valley  in  the  East  District.  She  d.  Nov.  10,  1887,  aged  80  years, 
10  months.     Ch.  probably  b.   in  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Sarah,  m.  a  Hooper  of  New  Boston,  had  ch. 

2.  Peter,   lives   in   Henniker. 

3.  James,  m.  (1)  Esther  W.  Smith,  dau.  James  and  Catherine 
(Caswell)  Smith  of  Mont  Vernon,  m.  (2)  Emeline,  dau.  of  John 
Stearns.     He  lives  in  New  Boston. 

George  Oscar  Douglass,  son  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Bennett) 
Douglass,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  3,  1860,  m.  Rose  Raymond  of  New  Bos- 
ton, Dec.  14,  1888.  He  resided  East  Dist.,  now  res.  Gorgeville.  Ch. 
b.   in   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Ida,  b.  June  1,  1889. 

2.  Frances,  b.  June   1,  1890. 

3.  Ethel,   b.    May   20,    1891. 

4.  George,  b.  Feb.  19,  1893. 

5.  Arthur,   b.    April    22,    1895. 

6.  Daughter,  b.  April  14,  1897. 

DUNBAR. 
Stephen  Dunbar,  b.  Peterboro',  son  of  Rev.  Elijah  Dunbar  of  Peter- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  61 

boro",  m.  March  26,  1833,  Jane,  dau.  of  William  and  Hannah  (Jones) 
Bruce  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  1,  L816,  d.  Feb. 
s,  1890.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Fifth  X.  H.  Regiment  Volunteers. 
He  d.  Dec.  21,  1862,  aged  54  years.  He  lived  in  Mont  Vernon  village 
a  short  time,  was  a  resident  of  Xew  Boston  at  time  of  death.  They  had 
several  children,  among  them  being  Stephen  H.  Dunbar  of  Wilton,  who 
m.  for  his  second  wife,  Sarah  E.,  dau.  of  Nathan  and  Sarah  (Bruce) 
Richardson  of   Mont   Vernon. 

DUX  LA  P. 

Thomas  Dunlap,  b.  Antrim,  Feb.  22,  1803,  m.  Mary  B.  Averill,  dau. 
of  Levi  and  Mary  Averill  of  Mont  Vernon.  He  d.  Aug.  17,  1865.  She 
d.  June  18.  1874,  age  70.  They  lived  in  Antrim.  They  had  13  children, 
of  whom  Jane,  m.   Asa   B.  Lyford  of  Lowell. 

Thomas,  b.  Aug.  30,  1821,  m.  Lucinda  Eaton,  dau.  James  Eaton  of 
Antrim.      He  d.    1S4S.     She   m.    (2)    *Albert   C.   French   of   Mont   Vernon. 

DURANT. 

Benjamin  Durant  of  Dracut,  Mass.,  kept  store  in  this  village,  failed 
about  1815,  held  the  office  of  representative  here,  was  selectman  6  vears, 
representative  5  years,  1811,  1812,  1813.  1814,  1815.  M.  Jan.  15,  1804, 
Betsey,  dau.  Isaac  and  Hannah  (Cole)  Weston.  She  was  b.  Mont  Ver- 
non,   1779. 

DUTTON. 

David  Dutton,  b.  Wilton,  May  26,  1792,  was  a  mechanic,  engaged  in 
clock-making,  lived  here  many  years,  was  an  amiable  and  industrious 
man.  He  d.  Medford,  Mass.,  April  22,  1882,  m.  Delinda  Saunders  of 
Brodkline.  She  d.  March  29,  1862.  She  was  b.  Brookline,  Jan.  31,  1793. 
Children  b.  in  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mary  Ann.  b.  Oct.  5,  1814,  m.  Nov.  13,  1838,  *Franklin  Otis 
Kittredge  of   Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  Julv  31,   1902. 

2.  Harriet,  b.  May  12,  1826,  m.  Feb.  1845,  *Ira  Hill,  d.  Sept.  6, 
1875. 

3.  *Andrew  J.,  b.  March  15,  1831. 

Andrew  J.  Dutton,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  15,  1831,  went  to  Boston, 
1865,  is  a  merchant  in  Boston.  M.  Oct.,  1865,  Mary  Jane  Atkins,  b. 
Georgia,  1835.     Children  : 

1.  Charles   K.,   b.    1861,   d.    1881. 

2.  Belle   Atkins,   b.    1865,   d.    1869. 

3.  Annie  Atkins,  b.  Oct.  26,  1869,  m.  Alfred  H.  Colby. 

ELLEXWOOD. 

A  Mr.  Ellenwood  from  Lyndeboro',  a  stone  mason,  built  the  house 
(burnt  in  1896)  near  Geo.  C.  Hadley's,  and  lived  there  several  years  in 
the    forties. 

ELLIOT. 

John  Elliot,  b.  Xewburyport,  June  6.  1789,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  May 
8,  1878,  m.  Feb.  14,  1814,  Mary  Stewart  of  Antrim  who  was  b.  Feb.  17, 


02  HISTORY  OF  MONT   VERNON. 

1790,  d.  Feb.  11,  1879,  at  Mont  Vernon.  He  came  here  about  1813,  and 
settled  on  a  farm,  one  mile  cast  of  Mont  Vernon  village.  Children  b. 
in   Mont   Vernon. 

1.  Thomas,  b.  Oct.,  1814,  d.  Newport,  N.  H.,  March  3,  1890, 
left    children. 

2.  John,   b.   July   5,    1810,   d.   Nov.   20,    1833. 

3.  James,  b.  Sept.  15,  1818,  d.  May  27,  1901,  West''  I,  I  ss.,  left 
three  children. 

4.  Mary  Jane,  b.  July  27,  1820,  resides  on  the  homestead,  unm. 

5.  Benjamin,  b.  Oct.  14,  1822,  lives  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  has  one 
dau.,    who   is   m.    and    has   three   children. 

0.  Abigail,  b.  Feb.  9,  1820,  m.  Sept.  19,  1844,  *  Joseph  Conant,  lives 
in   Mont  Vernon. 

7.  Andrew,  b.  April  14,  1830,  lived  Salem,  Mass.,  d.  Goffstown,  Jan. 
24,    1898,    had    two    children. 

8.  Samuel,  b.  Nov.  14,  1831,  lived  in  Stockton,  Cal.,  since  1853,  has 
three  children. 

9.  John,  b.  April  2,  1835,  lived  in  Watertown,  Mass.,  25  years,  re- 
sided in  Mont  Vernon  since  1875,  on  the  homestead,  unm. 

ESTEY. 

Jesse  Estey  came  from  Dunstable,  Mass.,  about  1810,  kept  the  Ray 
Tavern  in  the  village  several  years.  He  returned  to  Dunstable  and  d. 
there.  He  was  a  prominent  citizen  there.  He  had  several  sons,  among 
them  was  Capt.  Augustus,  who  was  1>.  in  Mont  Vernon  and  d.  in  Galena, 
111.,  Oct.  30,  1882,  age  72  years. 

EMERSON. 

Widow  Rachel  Emerson  of  Swansea,  N.  H.,  m.  March  0,  1827,  *  Allen 
Dodge  of  Mont  Vernon.  Her  children  by  first  husband  lived  with  her 
in  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b.  April  20,  1780,  d.  July  27,  1808.  Children 
b.   Swansea : 

1.  Mary  A.,  b.  1807,  m.  June  5,  1839,  *Augustus  B.  French,  d.  Mil- 
ford,   May  10,  1880,   four  children. 

2.  Abbie  F.,  d.  Jan.   12,   1803,   aged  55  years. 

3.  Lydia,  b.  Nov.  20,  1809.  m.  Nov.  9,  1842,  George  A.  Nutt  of 
Amherst.  He  d.  July  0,  1845,  for  several  years  prior  to  her  death  she 
lived  with  her  sister,   Mrs.   H.  C.  Dodge.     Slie  d.  Jan.  18,  1897. 

4.  Rachel,  b.  Jan.  23,  1814.  m.  June  14,  1830. 

5.  *Henry  C.  Dodge,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  June  9,  1898. 

0.  *Jo.seph  H..  d.   May  20,  1851,  aged  35. 

7.  Fanny  L.,  d.  Oct.  27,  1830,  aged  IS  years. 

8.  Robert,  b.  June  1,  1824,  learned  the  trade  of  a  tailor  in  Amherst, 
was  a  merchant  tailor  in  Nashua  many  years,  d.  there  Feb.  13,  1903. 
He  m.  (1)  Sept.  30,  1847,  Frances  II.  Vaughan  of  Woodstock,  Vt.,  who 
d.  Dec.  29,  1859.  He  m.  (2)  Jan.  23,  1802,  Hannah  P.  Bullard  of  Mil- 
ford.     No  children. 

Children  of  Joseph  H.  and  T.  Emerson. 

1.  Abby   F.,  d.   Aug.   15,  1850,  aged  4  years. 

2.  George  P.,  d.  Aug.  21,  1850,  aged  1  year,  5  months. 

FATRFIELD. 
Henry  M.   Fairfield,  son  of  Benj.  and  Eunice    (McMillan)    Fairfield, 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  63 

b.  New  Boston,  came  here  from  New  Boston  in  1870,  lived  on  the  farm 
opposite  East  School  house,  moved  to  Xashna  in  1885  where  he  died. 
He  m.  Sabrina.  dan.  Samuel  and  Eliza  (  Moore)  Leach  of  New  Boston, 
served  in  16th  X.  II.  Regiment  in  Civil  War,  from   New   Boston.  Ch. : 

1.  Annie  E.,  m.  George  \V.  Gross  of  Nashua,  res.  Nashua. 

2.  Sarah,  m.  Arthur  .M.  Cotton  of  Nashua,  res.  Nashua. 

3.  Mary,  m.   Harry  \Y.   Spear  of  Nashua,   res.   Xashna,  two  children. 

4.  Benjamin,    railroad    engineer,    is    married,    lives    in    Nashua. 

5.  Walter,  res.   in   Lynn,   is  in  the  shoe  business  there,  is  married. 
Miss  Sarah  Fairfield,  dan.   Benj.  and  Eunice   (McMillan)    Fairfield,  d. 

in  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  5,  1894,  age  67  years,  6  months.  She  was  a  sister 
of  Henry  M.  Fairfield. 

FARNUM. 

Lt.  Joseph  Farnum  settled  on  the  farm  now  of  Wallace  D.  Hooper, 
shortly  after  the  incorporation  of  Amherst  as  a  town.  He  was  lieutenant 
in  Capt.  John  Bradford's  Co.  at  .Bennington  in  Revolutionary  War,  and  d. 
in  Mont  Vernon,  May  10,  1824,  aged  78.  He  m.  (1)  Mary  Lyon  by  whom 
he  had  eleven  children,  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Tabitha  (Weston)  Wilkins  Bald- 
win, widow  of  Capt.  Daniel  Wilkins,  Jr.,  and  Jesse  Baldwin, 
and  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Mehitable  (  Sutherick)  Weston.  She 
was  b.  .March  31,  1742,  d.  Mont  Vernon.  Jan.  1820.  Her  dan. 
Abigail  Wilkins  m.  Timothy  Dix  of  Boscawen.  and  was  the  mother  of 
Gen.  John  A.  Dix  of  New  York.  He  m.  CD  Edith  Smith.  She  d.  Nov. 
12,  1862,  age  88  vears.     Children  by  1st  wife  b.   in   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Sally,  b.  June   22,   1766. 

2.  Abigail,^.  Dec.  22,  1767,  m.  Peter  Abbott,  Oct.  25,  1788. 

3.  Mary,  b.  Jan.  19,  1770,  m.  Oliver,  son  of  Dea.  Oliver  and  Amy 
(Washer)  Carlton,  Sept.  24,  1789,  had  several  children,  moved  to 
Acworth. 

4.  Phebe,  b.  May  12,  1772,  m.  *Lambert  Bradford. 

5.  Joseph,  b.    March  4,   1774. 

6.  Susannah,  b.  March  27,  1776.  m.  Zachariah  Bemis  of  Westminster, 
Mass.,  Jan.  10,  1797. 

7.  Thomas,  b.  Jan.  26,  1778. 

8.  Asa,  b.  Feb.  1,   1780,  m.  Arethusa  Lovejoy,  April   11.   180.';. 

9.  Bettv,  b.    March   24,    L7S4. 

10.  Lucy.  1).  May  3,  1786,  m.  a  Benj.  Fassett.  July  10,  1811. 

11.  Martlia,  b.  -  — .  m.  *Silas  Wilkins  of  Mont  Vernon,  \Tov.  21. 
1810. 

Children   bv  2nd   wife  b.   in    Mont   Vernon  : 

12.  Gera,  b.  Feb.  26,  1795.  m.  Sophronia  Bills,  Oct.  17,  1817,  d.  Rox- 
burv,  Mass.,  April  14.   1864. 

13.  John,  b.  Aug.  15,  1796,  m.  Betsey  Robbins  of  Nelson,  X.  11.,  d. 
Brighton,  Mass.,  Sept.  30,  1845.  Children:  1.  John  Robbins,  b.  May  12. 
1823,  at  Nelson,  X.  H.,  d.  Waltham,  Mass.  2.  Elizabeth  Ann,  b.  June  14, 
1S25,  at  Mont  Vernon. 

Israel  Farnum.  m.  (1)  Phebe  Sheldon.  Feb.  15,  1787.  She  d.  Dee 
2,  1824.  He  m.  (2)  May  17,  1825,  Susanna,  dau.  Asa  and  Susanna 
(Town)  Farnum.  She  was  b.  March  22.  1772.  He  d.  1812.  Children 
b.    Mont   Vernon  : 

1.  Phebe.  b.  March  31.  178S,  m.  July  10.  1 R 1 1 ,  Rbenezer  Lamson  of 
Mont  Vernon. 

2.  *Israel,  b,  June  8,  1790. 


64  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

3.     Amos,  b.   May  17,  1792,  d.  Oct.   17,   1812. 

Israel  Farnum,  son  of  Israel,  and  Phebe  (Sheldon)  Farnum,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  June  8,  1790,  m.  Catherine  Talbot.  She  was  b.  April 
5,  1788,  d.  May  16.  1875.     He  d.  Dec.  30,  1861.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Amos,  b.  April  14,  1816,  had  a  son,  Geo.  H.  Farnum,  b.  Dec.  22, 
1839,  enlisted  in  the  army  from  Milford  in  Civil  War. 

2.  Sarah  J.,  b.  Dec. '25,  1818,  m.  Oct.  27,  1842,  Josiah  Swinnington  of 
Mont  Vernon,   d.   Mont  Vernon,  Jan.   28,   1879.     Five   children. 

FITZPATRICK. 

William  Fitzpatrick,  b.  Newport,  R.  I.,  Dec.  3,  1874,  came  to  Mont 
Vernon  in  1889,  and  worked  for  William  Ryan  twelve  years,  is  now  a 
medical   student. 

FLANDERS. 

Elijah  Clark  Flanders,  b.  Dorchester,  N.  H.,  April  20,  1820,  d.  Sept. 
11,  1901  at  Mont  Vernon,  lived  on  a  farm  in  the  southeast  part  of  the 
town,  m.  June  1,  1845,  Lovicey  H.  Pollard  of  Canaan.  She  was  b. 
Feb.  20,  1821.  They  moved  to  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.,  1883.  Children  b. 
Canaan,  N.  H. : 

1.  Julia  A.,  b.   March   2,   1846,   unm. 

2.  Augustus   B.,  b.   Nov.   9,   1850,   d.   July  28,   1863. 

3.  Alice  M.,  b.  Oct.  9,  1853,  m.  Wallace  G.  Fogg  of  Canaan,  one 
child,   George. 

4.  Middleton  G,  b.  Feb.  20,  1856,  is  married  and  resides  Mitchell, 
North  Dakota,  has  children. 

FLETCHER. 

Dexter   Fletcher,   b.    New   Ipswich,    April   19,    1799,   d.    Mont   Vernon. 

April  13,  1883,  m.   (1)    Miss  Felt  of  New  Ipswich,  m.    (2)    Eliza  of 

New    Boston.      No    children.      He    lived    several    years    on    Edward    G. 
Averill's  place  in  West  District. 

George  Howard  Fletcher,  b.  East  Washington,  N.  H.,  March  6, 
1844,  m.  1866,  Luthera  C.  Barney  of  East  Washington,  moved  to  Mont 
Vernon  in  April,  1873,  lived  here  about  five  years,  where  Chas.  Henry 
Trow  lives,  left  to  take  a  position  in  Taunton  Insane  Asylum. 

FLINT. 

Simeon  Flint,  b.  May  16,  1782,  in  Amherst,  m.  Sarah,  dau.  of  Dea. 
Jacob  and  Sarah  (Lamson)  Kendall,  Aug.  20,  1804.  She  was  b.  Jan. 
17,  1784,.  m.  (2)  Aaron  Wilkins,  Jr.,  of  Amherst,  Sept.  16,  1824.  She  d. 
Sept.  14,  1861.  Simeon  Flint  and  wife  settled  in  the  easterly  part  of 
Mont   Vernon.      Children   b.    Mont   Vernon : 

1.  Simeon  K.,  b.  Feb.  5,  1805,  d.  Nov.  23,  1879.  Moved  to  Wilton, 
was   postmaster   there. 

2.  Nathan,    b.    Oct.    8,    1806. 

3.  Grisev,  b.  Oct.   17,  1808,  unm. 

4.  Tacob,  b.   Dec.   8,   1810. 

5.  Eliza,  b.  Feb.  18,  1813,  d.  Dec,  1814. 

6.  Daniel  K.,  b.  May  15,  1815. 


HISTORY  OF   MONT  VERNON.  65 

FOLLANSBEE. 

John  Follansbee,  Sr.,  b.  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  moved  to  Mont  Ver- 
non in  1856,  lived  many  years  where  Henry  F.  Dodge  lives,  where  he  d. 
in  Aug.,  1877,  aged  86  years.  He  m.  Mary  Eastman  of  Londonderry. 
She  d.  March  6,  1880,  age  83..     Their  ch.  b.  Londonderry: 

1.  Edwin,  b.  Londonderry,  1817,  d.  there,  1901. 

2.  *John,  b.  Aug.  6,  1819. 

3.  Frank  served  in  the  War  for  the  Union  and  d.  in  a  Southern 
prison.  He  m.  Ruth  Morse  and  had  one  dau.,  now  Mrs.  George  G 
Andrews  of  Hudson. 

4.  James. 

John    Follansbee,    Jr.,    b.    Londonderry,    Aug.    6,    1819,    m.    Mary    L 
Nichols   of   Londonderry.      She   was   b.    Hudson,    N.    H.,    Aug.    17,    1824. 
She  d.   Mont  Vernon,   Feb.   13,  1875.     He  d.    May  2,   1881,  age  62.     He 
lived  where  Henry  F.  Dodge  does.     He  served  as  corporal  in  8th  N.  H. 
Regiment   in    Civil   War.     Children : 

1.  Mary  Ann,  b.  Nashua,  April  8,  1847,  m.  May  7,  1868,  Edward  A. 
Lawrence  of  Londonderry,  d.  Jan.  31,  1902.  Lived  in  Nashua  and  Wilton, 
two   children. 

2.  Frances,  b.  Londonderry,  Dec.  25,  1848,  m.  Jesse  R.  Wilkinsr 
Oct.   14,  1871,  three  children,  res.   Milford. 

3.  Sarah  Eliza,  b.  Londonderry,  Sept.  18,  1852,  m.  Pierce  Perham 
of  Milford,  one  dau.,  Ada  F.,  b.  March  20,  1873,  m.  1896,  Frank  W. 
Richardson  of  Milford.     She  d.   March  15,  1878. 

4.  John  Wesley,  b.  Sept.  20,  1858,  m.  Angeline  Cheney  of  Lynde- 
borough,  Sept.  6,  1887. 

FORSAITH. 

Charles  Forsaith,  b.  Deering,  m.  Jan.  2,  1854,  Almira  L.,  dau.  of 
Joseph  and  Sarah  (Perkins)  Trow.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  11, 
1830,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  April  13,  1897.  Carpenter.  He  resides  with  his 
dau.  Mrs.  Pinkham  at  Hyde  Park,  Mass.     Ch. : 

1.  Caroline  Frances,  b.  Oct.  30,  1854,  m.  Dec.  25,  1876,  *William  F. 
Pinkham  of  Nashua,   resides   Hyde   Park,   Mass.,  three  children. 

FOSTER. 

Peter  Foster,  m.  Lydia  Farmer,  Andover,  Mass.,  1787.  He  is  said 
to  have  kept  tavern  in  Mont  Vernon.  His  wife  d.  in  Lyndeboro'  in 
1840,  and  was  interred  in  the  southwest  corner  of  cemetery,  near  the 
Baptist  Church  in  Hillsboro',  where  he  had  been  buried  some  years 
previous.    Their  ch.  were  : 

1.  Samuel,  b.  Oct.  22,  1787. 

2.  *Isaac,  b.  Aug.   5,   1790. 

?,      Betsev,  m.  a  Mr.   Abbott,  b.   Sept.  27,  1792. 

4.  Lydia,  b.  Nov.  lfi,   1794,  m.  a  Mr.  Haines,  d.  in  Hooksett,  March 

9,    1893.     '  _ 

5.  Abraham,  b.  July  3,   1797,  went  to  New  Orleans. 
(i.     Hannah,  b.  May  27,  1799,  m.  a  Mr.  Berry. 

7  Lucy,  b.  July  21,  1801,  m.  a  Mr.  Pike  by  whom  she  had  one  son, 
Peter  F  Pike,  m.  (2)  Oct.  23,  183C,  Warren  Williams  of  Mont  Vernon. 
She  d.  Mont  Vernon.  May  2,  1892.  ■ 

8.     Sarah,  b.    Tune  12,   1804,  m.    (l)   Francis   Murdough   of  Hillsboro. 


66  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

who  d.  Dec,  1841,  m.   (2)   Mr.  Abner  Knowlton  of  Windsor,  a  widower. 
She  had  no  children.     She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  10,  1890. 

9.  Permelia,  b.  Aug.  20,  1806,  m.  April  7,  1829,  *Dr.  Jesse  K.  Smith. 
She  d.  May  13,  1880. 

Isaac  Foster,  son  of  Peter  and  Lydia  (Farmer)  Foster,  b.  Aug.  5, 
1790,  lived  here  a  few  years  in  the  thirties,  afterwards  in  Hillsboro', 
again  in  Mont  Vernon,  d.  Wilton,  April  10,  1872,  kept  tavern,  was  a  shoe- 
maker. He  m.  Feb.  1,  1821,  Jane,  dau.  John  and  Jane  Allds  of  Merri- 
mack.    She  was  b.  May  31,  1801,  d.  1874.     Children : 

1.  Harriett  J.,  b.  Merrimack,  April  16,  1822,  m.  Dec.  20,  1842,  John 
F.  Goss  of  Merrimack,  six  children,  res.  Milford. 

2.  *Newell  Dean,  b.  Merrimack,  July  21,  1833. 
Twins. 

3.  Adaline,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  2,  1825,  d.  Feb.  14,  1829. 

4.  Abraham,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  2,  1825,  d.  Sept.,  1826. 

5.  *Charles  Abraham,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  6,  1828. 

6.  Isaac  Newton,  b.  Hillsboro',  Aug.  21,  1832,  m.  Lucy  J.,  dau.  of 
Leonard  and  Hannah  (Foster)  King.  He  had  a  tin-shop  in  Wilton  with 
his  two  brothers.     He  d.  Wilton,  Jan.  16,  1885. 

7.  Samuel  Kimball,  b.  Nashua,  Feb.  9,  1838,  m.  Jan.  4,  1861,  Hattie 
E.,  dau.  Jeremiah  Hood,  lived  Wilton  where  he  d.  Nov.  10,  1892,  had 
four  children. 

Newell  Dean  Foster,  son  of  Isaac  and  Jane  (Allds)  Foster,  b.  Mer- 
rimack, July  21,  1823,  mechanic,  m.  Eliza  M.,  dau.  of  Jesse,  Jr.  and  Sarah 
(Leavitt)  Averill,  June  10,  1846.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  1824,  d.  June 
5,  1852.  He  m.  (2)  Harriet  Qrcutt  of  Cambridge.  He  m.  (3)  May  3, 
1892,  Mrs.  Addie  C.  Leland  of  Bedford.     He  d.  Wilton,  May  7,  1893. 

Children  all  b.  in  Mont  Vernon. 

Children  by  1st  wife: 

1.  Charlotte,  b.  ,  m.  John  S.  Locke  of  Rye  Valley,  Oregon,  lives 

Oregon,  two  children :   one  son  and  one  daughter. 

2.  •  *George    Barrett,   b.    1849,    d.    . 

3.  *Charles  Woodbury,  b.  Aug.  8,  1851.. 

N.  D.  Foster  had  two  children  by  2nd  wife,  Wm.  and  Florence. 

Charles  Abraham  Foster,  son  of  Isaac  and  Jane  (Allds)  Foster,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  March  6,  1828,  m.  (1)  Clarinda  J.  Felch  of  Mason  Vil- 
lage (now  Greenville).  She  d.  Milford,  Feb.  11,  1870.  He  m.  (2)  June, 
1870,  Marietta  Brigham  of  Nashua.  He  d.  Concord.  N.  H.,  Jan.  12. 
1882,  age  53.    Children  by  1st  wife  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *Charles  Alfred,  b.  March  23,  1854. 

2.  Etta,  b.  Aug.  20,  1857,  m.  March  18,  1876,  Hiram  Searles,  lived  in 
Milford,   d.   Goffstown,   Nov.   24,   1902,   three   children. 

3.  Emma  J.,  b.  Jan.  1,  1860,  m.  June  8,  1876,  *William  Henry 
Marvell  of  Mont  Vernon,  had  one  child. 

George  Barrett  Foster,  son  of  Newell  D.  and  Eliza  M.  (Averill) 
Foster,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  1849,  m.  Mary  Frances,  dau.  of  Elbridge  and 
Hannah  E.  (Philibrown)  Foster,  b.  New  Boston,  May,  1851,  d.  Mont 
Vernon,  Oct.  22,  1891.  He  d.  Taunton,  Mass.,  May  12,  1881,  age  31  years, 
9  months,  one  child. 

1.     Annie  Parker,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  17,  1880. 

Charles    Woodbury    Foster,    son    of   Newell    D.    and    Eliza    (Averill) 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  67 

Foster,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  8,  1851,  m.  Sept.  15,  1875,  Jane  Thompson. 
He  removed  to  Concord,  June,  1877.  He  d.  Concord,  N.  H.,  Jan.  20, 
1898.     Children : 

1.  Evelyn  Jane,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  28,  1876. 

2.  William  Smith,  b.  Concord,  Nov.  26,  1877. 

3.  Arthur  John,  b.    Concord,   Jan.   27,   1880. 

Charles  Alfred  Foster,  son  of  Charles  Abraham  and  Clarinda  J. 
(Felch)  Foster,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  23,  1854,  m.  Oct.  21,  1886,  Kate 
A.  Garvin  of  Peterboro',  has  four  children,  lives  in  Hudson,  N.  H. 

FOX. 

John  M.  Fox,  b.  New  Boston,  March  5,  1836,  son  of  Ephraim  and 
Sarah  (Parker)  Fox,  served  in  the  War  for  the  Union  in  the  Second 
New  Hampshire  Regiment,  moved  here  in  1857,  thence  to  Milford  and 
Amherst  where  he  enlisted  in  1861.  He  came  back  to  Mont  Vernon 
in  1864,  and  lived  on  a  farm  in  the  Southeast  part  of  the  town  until 
1887,  when  he  purchased  of  the  Wood  Bros,  the  village  store  stock  of 
goods.  In  1899  he  purchased  a  grocery  store  in  Rochester,  N.  H.,  re- 
turned to  Mt.  Vernon,  1903.  He  was  a  town  clerk  here  23  years,  and 
Representative  in  1890.  He  m.  Esther  D.  Fairfield,  dau.  of  Benjamin 
Fairfield,  Esq.,  of  New  Boston.  She  was  b.  New  Boston,  July  16, 
1830,  Children: 

1.  Frank,  d.  young. 

2.  Eunice  Abbie,  b.   Amherst,  Jan.  9,  1864,  resides  at  home,  unm. 

3.  William  Henry,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  25,  1868,  m.  Oct.  30, 
1895,  Jessie  Alice,  dau.  of  Arthur  A.  and  Lucretia  (Rideout)  Trow,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  24,  1875,  ch.,  Esther  Abbie,  b.  Jan.  18,  1902.  He 
resides  in  Mont  Vernon  and  is  a  mechanic. 

FRENCH. 

Abraham  French,  b.  Lyndeboro',  1777,  m.  Naomi  Wilkins,  dau.  of 
Benjamin  and  Naomi  (Smith)  Wilkins,  of  Lyndeboro',  April  5,  1803. 
They  lived  in  the  West  District  many  years.  He  d.  April  26,  1863,  age 
86  years,  3  months.  She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  11,  1871,  age  86  years, 
3  months.     Children : 

1.  Hannah,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  9,  1804,  m.  Dec.  15,  1825,  *John 
Averill,  Jr.     She  d.  Julv  10,  1855. 

2.  Albert  Clinton,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  1808,  d.  Milford,  Sept.  1,  1878, 
age  70.  He  m.  (1)  Lucinda  Eaton,  dau.  James  Eaton  of  Antrim.  She 
d.  Feb.  11,  1848,  age  32.  He  m.  (2)  Eliza  Wilson  of  Weare,  who  d. 
Mont  Vernon,  July^29,  1892,  age  81,  children. 

Frank  B..  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  9,  1849,  came  to  Milford,  1867. 
dealer  in  coal,  wood,  ica,  m.  May  4,  1870,  Addie,  dau.  of  John  H.  and 
Naomi  (Wilkins)    McConihe,  b.  Bedford,  April  7,  1846,  ch. : 

1.  Will  F.,  b.  Milford,  May  15,  1873,  in  business  with  father,  m. 
April  27,  1892,  Nellie  J.,  dau.  Charles  F.  and  Emeline  W.  (Smith)  Holt 
of  Antrim. 

Augustus  B.  French,  son  Josiah  and  Rebecca  (Blanchard)  French,  b. 
Milford,  March  16,  1815,  tanner,  d.  Milford,  Aug.  9,  1884.  He  m.  June 
5  1839  Mary  A.,  dau.  Robert  and  Rachel  (Howard)  Emerson.  She 
was  b  'Marlboro',  in  1807,  d.   Milford,   May  16,  1860.     Children: 


68  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.  Mary  A.,  b.  Milford,  Sept.  7,  1840,  m.  June  23,  1859,  Albert  H. 
Mclntire  of  Milford,  d.  March  4,  1881. 

2.  Hattie  Lovica,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  17,  1842,  m.  May  30,  1867, 
Geo.   C.   Farwell,   res.    Milford. 

3.  James  W.,  b.  Milford,  Aug.  31,  1844,  d.  Jan.  25,  1846. 

4.  Helen  L.,  b.  Milford,  Feb.  13,  1848,  d.  June  8,  1849. 

FRINK. 

Rev.  Benson  M.  Frink,  a  native  of  Jackson,  N.  H.,  a  graduate  of 
Bangor  Seminary,  was  settled  here  as  Pastor  of  the  Church  two  and 
one-fourth  years  from  1865  to  1867.  He  was  subsequently  settled  in 
Portland,  Me.,  Saco,  Me.,  Beverly,  Abington,  and  Shelburne  Falls,  Mass. 
He  now  lives  at  Brookfield,  Mass.  He  had  a  wife  and  one  child.  For 
more  extended  account,  see  Ecclesiastical  History  in  Manuscript  of 
Town  History. 

FULLER. 

Nathan  Fuller,  Jr.,  son  of  Nathan  and  Martha  Fuller,  b.  Amherst, 
July  18,  1763,  m.  (T)  Tamson  Brown.  She  was  b.  Sept.  4,  1763,  d.  Sept. 
1814.  He  m.  (2)  Feb.  28,  1815,  Betsey,  dau.  of  Nathan,  Jr.,  and 
Esther  (Butterfield)  Jones.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  25,  1777, 
d.  Feb.  8,  1829.  He  came  to  Mont  Vernon  about  1815,  was  a  retired 
farmer,  lived  in  the  house  in  village  now  owned  by  Dr.  C.  H.  Hallowell, 
d.  Aug.  31,  1840.     Children  by  1st  wife  b.  Amherst. 

1.  William   B.,  b.   May   15,   1786,   d.   Sept.   2,   1799. 

2.  Tamson,  d.  Nov.,   1803,  aged  8  years. 

3.  Tamson  H.,  b.  Aug.  27,  1804,  m.  *Matthew  G.  Rotch,  d.  Mt. 
Vernon,  May  7,  1895. 

Ch.  by  2nd  wife  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

4.  Betsey,  b.  Feb. .  9,  1816,  m.  Rufus  Lounsbury,  d.  Rose  Grove, 
Iowa,  Jan.  26,  1871. 

GERRISH. 

Dr.  Alfred  A.  Gerrish,  8'h  and  vouneest  son  of  Josenh  and  Susan 
( Hancock)  Gerrish,  b.  Fra^kh'n,  N.  H„  July  4,  1829.  fitted  for  college 
at  Meriden,  N.  H.,  studied  his  profession  w'th  Dr.  Nnhum  Wrierht  of 
G'lmanton  and  Prof.  E.  R.  P^aslee  of  Hanover,  graduated  a*-  Bellevue 
Medical  College,  New  York  City,  March,  1853,  and  immediately  came  to 
Mont  Vernon  as  successor  to  Dr.  Samuel  G.  Dearborn,  and  continued 
here  in  successful  practice  twelve  years.  In  Tnlv,  1865,  he  removed  to 
Lowell.  Lake  Co.,  Tnd.,  where  he  has  since  resided.  For  many  years  he 
has  held  the  position  of  sureeon  for  the  Louisville,  New  Albany  R.  R. 
and  its  branches.  He  left  an  ample  fortune.  Dr.  Gerrish  was  a  bachelor. 
He  d.  Lowell,  Tnd.,  July  17,  1903. 

GILBERT. 

Adna  A.  Gilbert  came  from  Francestown,  was  a  carncnter  by  trade, 
lived  several  years  with  Tnstm  Richardson  in  South  District  (where 
C.  O.  Tnsralls  now  does),  d.  there,  Dec.  3.  1R«3,  aee  43.  His  2nd  wife 
was  Martha,  dau.  John  H.  and  Martha  J.  CGilmore)  Lindsey.  After  his 
death  she  m.  Joseph  Whittemore,  res.  Providence,  R.  I.  Children  by 
2nd   wife : 


DEA.  JAY  M.  GLEASON. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  69 

1.  Charles,  druggist,   Providence,   R.   I. 

2.  Frank. 

GILES. 

George   B.    Giles,    b.    Providence,    R.    I.,    lived    in    the    South    District, 

mechanic,   m.    Ann   D.    Chickering.      He   d.   She   d.    Sept.   30,    1892, 

aged  78.     Children : 

1.  John  H.,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  June   17,   1854,  mechanic,   res.   Milford. 

2.  Olive,   singer,   m.,   res.   Wilton. 
Two  other  daughters. 

GLEASON. 

Jay  Morton  Gleason,  son  of  Dr.  E.  V.  and  Almira  H.  Gleason,  b. 
May  8,  1850,  Dunham,  Quebec,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1869,  lives  in 
village,  is  a  farmer  and  ice-man,  m.  June  8,  1874,  Mary  C.  dau.  of  Dea. 
Nathaniel  and  Elizabeth  (Bruce)  Mclntire  of  Lyndeboro'.  She  was 
b.  Lyndeboro',  Feb.  20,  1851.     Children  b.  in   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Ernest  Morton,  b.  June  5,  1875,  m.  Florence  W.  Gooding  of 
Somerville,  Dec.   29,  1902,   Supt.  of  Schools  in  Unionville,   Conn. 

2.  Marion   Elizabeth,   b.    Oct.   22,   1887. 

GOODRIDGE  or  GOODRICH. 

Lieut.  Allen  Goodridge  or  Goodrich,  owned  and  occupied  the  farm, 
late  of  Joseph  H.  Tarbell,  in  the  South  District.  He  served  in  the  War 
for  Independence,  and  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  27,  1805,  age  56.  He  m. 
Sarah,  dau.  of  Capt.  Josiah  and  Sarah  (Fitch)  Crosby.  She  was  b. 
April,  1756,  d.  Mont  Vernon  of  spotted  fever,  Jan.  27,  1812.  Children 
b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *Allen,    b.    1782,    d.    Jan.    26,    1842,    aged   60. 

2.  Sarah,  b.  m.  Wallingford   of   Claremont,   two   children, 

Sarah  and  Elizabeth. 

3.  Fannie,  m.  Rev.  Somerville,  missionaries  to  the  Indians  of  the 
West,  had  five  children. 

4.  Joseph,  m.  (1)  Abigail  Emerson,  of  Amherst,  N.  H.  She  was  b. 
Sept.  26,  1795,  d.  Boston,  Jan.  24,  1835,  m.  (2)  her  sister  Rebecca  Park- 
man  Emerson,  b.  Feb.  13,  1800.  He  d.  Waltham,  Mass.. _  April  28,  1881. 
By  his  1st  wife  he  had  two  daughters,  A.  Frances  and  Elizabeth,  Frances 
m.  William  S.  Houghton  of  Boston,  one  dau.,  Elizabeth  Houghton  of 
Boston. 

Twins  presumably. 

5.  Crosby  lived  in  Mont  Vernon,  d.   untn.,  at  an  advanced  age. 

6.  Sophia,  not  m.  lived  to  advanced  age. 

7.  Betsey,  d.  Feb.  27,  1803,  aged  9  years. 

Allen  Goodrich,  Jr.,  son  of  Lt.  Allen  and  Sarah  (Crosby)  Goodrich, 
m.  Mercy  Emerson  of  Amherst,  N.  H.,  dau.  Capt  Nathaniel  Emrrson. 
March  20,  1814.  She  was  b.  Oct.  2,  1791.  He  lived  on  the  homestead 
farm  in  the  South  District.  He  d.  Jan.  26,  1842.  age  60.  She  d.  Dec. 
16,  1841,  aged  50.     Children  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Beniamin,  b.  1815,  m.  April  4.  1839,  Sophia,  dau.  Caleb  and 
Rebecca  (Converse)  Boutell  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  Dec  26,  L812, 
d.  Fairbanks,  Iowa,  Jan.  3,  1881.     He  d.  Kier,  Iowa,  farmer.     Children:  1. 


70  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Harriet,  m.  Owen  Paine  of  Kier,   Iowa.     2.  William.     3.  Ellen.     4.  Sarah. 
5.  Asa. 

2.  Jarvis,  b.  Oct.  22,  1818,  d.  March  9,  1853,  New  York  City,  m. 
Mary  J.  Townsend  of  Waltham,  Mass.,  May  30,  1849. 

3.  Sarah,  b.  Oct.,  1822,  m.  Sewcll  K.  Kidder  of  Pittston,  Me. 
Children  :   Frank,  Charles,  Eugene.     She  d.  Nov.  5,  1849,  in  Waltham. 

4.  Asa,  b.  Aug.,  1824,  d.  unm.,  Feb.  11,   1852,  in  New  York  City. 

5.  John    Franklin,    b.    Aug.,    1826,    grad.    Harvard    College,    1849,    d. 

June,    1863,    Vicksburg,    Miss.,    m.    Morrison    of    New    York.      Ch. : 

Frank  Trueman,   Edward   Everett,   and  Fannie  m.    Richard   Crowther   of 
Waterloo,  Iowa,  one  son,  Keith  Crowther. 

6.  Rebecca  Frances,  b.  Aug.,  1828,  m.  E.  Wardwell  Beal  of  Nelson, 
N.  H.  She  d.  March  24,  1865,  in  Waltham,  Mass.  Ch. :  1.  Frank  Ward- 
well;  2.  Wm.  Goodrich,  m.  Nettie  L.  Nichols  of  New  Haven,  N.  Y.,  2 
ch. :  Lois  and  Wm.  G.  Beal. 

7.  Mercy  Ann  Emerson,  b.  June  6,  1830,  m.  Augustus  J.  Beckwith, 
April  20,  1864,  lives  Waltham,  Mass.  Ch. :  Mary  F.,  b.  Jan.  13,  1867, 
m.  Charles  D.  Meserve  of  Hopkinton,  Mass.,  lives  Newton,  Mass. 

GOULD. 

Stephen  Gould,  nephew  Richard  Gould  of  Topsfield,  b.  Topsfield, 
Mass.,  Feb.  6,  1754,  d.  1825,  at  Hillsborough,  m.  Lydia  Fuller  of  Middle- 
ton,  Mass.  She  d.  about  1810.  They  resided  for  some  years  on  the  farm, 
lately  owned  by  Tames  M.  Crookcr,  in  the  east  part  of  the  town.  They 
settled  in  Mont  Vernon  as  early  as  1785.  About  1804  they  removed  to 
Hillsborough.     Their  ch.  were  : 

1.  Elijah,  b.  Boxford,  Mass.,  May  13,  1780,  m.  (1)  Miss  Bradford, 
dau.  of  Samuel  and  Annie  ( Washer)  Bradford  of  Hillsboro',  had  3 
ch.,  m.  (2)   Hannah  Chapman,  Sept.  18,  1823,  had  ch.,  d.  in  Antrim. 

2.  Stephen,  b.  Feb.  3,  1782,  m.  Polly  Melendy  of  Amherst,  d.  Cam- 
bridge, Vt.,  Dec.  3,  1852,  had  4  ch. 

3.  Lydia,  b.  April  7,  1784,  m.  Aaron  Smith  called  "Hatter  Smith." 
of  Mont  Vernon,  had  2  sons. 

4.  Abner,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  7,  1786,  m.  Almira  Codman  of 
Hillsborough,  d.   Hillsborough.     He  was  taxed  in   Mont  Vernon   in  1813. 

5.  Timothy,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  2,  1789,  m.  Clarissa  Bradford  of 
Hillsboro',  in  1815,  was  a  blacksmith,  had  4  ch.,  lived  and  d.  in  Hillsboro'. 
Children:  1.  Leonora  B.,  b.  1816,  m.  Walter  McKean  of  Nashua,  had  4 
children ;  2.  Henry  C,  b.  June,  1818,  m.  Miss  Stratton  of  Bradford,  had 
3  children,  lived  and  d.  in  Hillsboro',  in  1900;  3.  John  M.,  b.  June,  1821, 
d.  1895;  4.  Frederick  W.,  b.  1827,  m.  Eliza  Smith,  sister  of  Gov.  John  B. 
Smith,  had  one  son,  George.  He  was  Deputy  Sheriff  many  years.  He  d. 
1901. 

6.  Thaddeus,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  3,  1791,  m.  Mary  Ann  Hitch- 
born  of  Boston  in  1812.     He  settled  in  Boston  as  jeweller,  and  d.  in  1840. 

7.  Jonathan,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  21,  1799,  m.  Sabra  Booth  of 
Hillsboro',  d.  Hillsboro',  Oct.  6,  1888,  had  3  sons,  the  youngest  of  whom 
Edwin  B.  Gould  is  a  lawyer  in  Nashua. 

Mrs.  Mary  Gould,  widow  of  Major  Gould  of  Lyndeborough,  d.  1842, 
in  Mont  Vernon,  age  86.  Her  first  husband  was  Rev.  Joseph  Appleton 
of  North  Brookfield,  Mass.  She  was  the  mother  of  Hon.  William 
Appleton  of  Boston.  Sarah  H.  (Appleton)  Burnham,  wife  John  Burn- 
ham,  Mary  A.  (Appleton)  Stevens,  wife  Asa  Stevens,  and  Abigail  E. 
(Appleton)   Starrett,  wife  of  David  Starrett. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  Tl 

GREEN. 

George  \\ .  Green,  son  of  Amos  and  Ruth  (Hastings)  Green  of  Am- 
herst, b.  Amherst,  Aug.  21,  1807,  m.  (1)  Oct.  6,  L838,  Mary  Upton  of 
Mont  Vernon,  dau.  of  Ezekiel,  Jr.,  and  Abigail  (Dodge)  Upton.  She  d. 
April  29,  1841,  age  36.  M.  (2)  Hannah  P.,  dau.  of  John  Stearns.  She 
was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  28,  1817,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  July  11,  1900.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  lived  in  the  West  District  many  years.  He  d.  in  Mont 
Vernon,   1881.     Children  by  1st  wife  b.   Mont  Vernon 

1.  Addison,  m.  had  ch.,  d.  in  Danville,  N.   H. 

2.  Edward. 

Child  by  2nd  wife.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

3.  Nancy  J.,  b.  Feb.  8,  1843,  m.  1867.  m.  *G.  Clifford  Averill,  d. 
Dec.   4,    1900.     :i   children. 

Nathan  Green,  son  of  Amos  and  Keturah  (Stewart)  Green,  b.  Am- 
herst, July  15,  1778,  m.  Hannah,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Martha  (Dodge) 
Trow,  March  10,  1812.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  d.  Boston,  Sept.  8, 
1862,  age  76.  He  d.  Lowell,  Jan.  15,  1857,  age  78  years.  He  lived  in 
Mont  Vernon,   Plattsburg,  N.  Y.,  and  Lowell,  Mass.     Ch. : 

1.  Antis,  m.  Luther  Eastman,  d.  Bloomington,  111.,  July  12,  1873, 
age    61. 

Twins. 

2.  *Cornelius,  b.  Sept.,  1816,  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

3.  Cornelia,    b.    Sept.,    1816,    b.    Mont    Vernon.      Cornelia    m.    

Varney  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  had  three  girls  and  one  boy.     One  dau.  Martha 
m.  William  Bancroft  of  Newton,   Mass. 

4.  Susan,  m.  Lewis  Graves  of  Lowell. 

5.  Levi,  m.  Libel  Nutting  of  Westford,  Mass.,  niece  of  Mrs.  Amasa 
Brown.     He  d.  Dec.  9,  1892,  at  Lowell.     One  son,  Willie. 

Cornelius  P.  Green,  son  of  Nathan  and  Hannah  (Trow)  Green,  b 
Mont  Vernon,  Sept.,  1816,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  24,  1875,  m.  Achsah 
Haseltine  of  Springfield,  N.  H.,  b.  April  4,  1816,  one  adopted  dau.,  Vien- 
na, b.  Sept.  16,  1861,  m.  *William  P.  Jenkins  of  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  11. 
1882.     Cornelius  P.  Green  was  a  farmer. 

Daniel  H.  Green,  son  of  Edmund  and  Eliza  (Withey)  Green,  b. 
Milford,  Oct.  3,  1836,  m.  1865,  Antionette,  dau.  William  and  Elizabeth 
(Cook)  Walker  of  Brighton,  Mass.  She  was  the  widow  of  his  cousin 
Lived  in  Mont  Vernon  from  1871  to  1896.  He  was  in  the  2nd  N.  H. 
Regiment,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  20,  1896. 

GREENWOOD. 

Francis  C.  Greenwood  son  of  Dexter  and  Mary  (Holden)  Green- 
wood, b.  Hollis,  Nov.,  1853,  was  for  a  number  of  years  agent  for  firms 
in  Boston  and  New  York,  who  were  in  the  West  India  fruit  business, 
and  about  1883  formed  a  connection  in  that  trade  in  New  York.  In  1892 
he  came  to  Mont  Vernon,  was  in  the  summer-boarding  business  four 
years  at  Conant  Hall,  three  years  Bellevue  Hotel  and  two  years  at  Lin- 
coln Hall.  He  d.  July  15,  1900.  He  m.  Jan.  6,  1884,  Ada  E.,  dau,  Dea. 
William  H.  and  S.  Emeline  (Cloutman)  Conant.  She  was  b.  Sept.  6. 
1859,  res.  Mont  Vernon.     Child  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.     Miriam  Conant,  b.  Jan.  29,  1895. 


72  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

GURDY. 

William  P.  Gurdy,  b.  Bristol,  N.  H.,  Feb.  12,  1836,  m.  Dec.  24, 
1859,  Adeline  Caswell  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  b.  July  3,  1840.  She  d.  Mont 
Vernon,  April  28,  1900.  He  lived  on  the  Peter  Jones  farm,  in  the  south- 
east part  of  the  town  many  years.     Ch. : 

1.  William  C.,  m.  Miss  Burnham  of  Amherst,  is  a  U.  S.  Postal 
Clerk,  on  the  route  between  New  York  and  Boston,  has  one  son,  Charles 
W. 

GUTTERSON. 

Charles  H.  Gutterson,  son  John  and  Martha  (Sawtelle)  Gutterson, 
b.  Milford,  Oct.  29,  1837,  m.  (1)  March  21,  1865,  Mary,  dau.  William  and 
Sarah  D.  (Russell)  Sheldon,  b.  Wilton,  March  31,  1837,  d.  Milford,  May 
17,  1876,  m.  (2)  March  31,  1877,  Mary  E.,  widow  James  Langdell,  and 
dau.  Luke  and  Elizabeth  (Langdell)  Wilkins,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  10, 
1846.  He  has  lived  in  Mont  Vernon  several  years,  mainly  in  the  South 
District,  farmer,  ch. : 

1.     Charles  W.,  b.  Aug.  25,  1868,  d.  March  18,  1869. 

:l.     Elmer  Moody,  b.  Jan.  4,  1879,  res.  with  his  parents. 

HADLEY. 

Dr.  Dewitt  Clinton  Hadley,  son  of  Abijah  and  Mary  (Whittemore) 
Hadley,  b.  Hancock,  June  12,  1823,  graduated  Woodstock  Medical  Col- 
lege, 1850,  d.  Hancock,  Feb.  11,  1859,  m.  Nov.,  1851,  Mary  A.  Haggett  of 
Lvndeboro'.    Ch.  b.  Hancock. 

1.  *George  C,  b.   Sept.   3,   1852. 

2.  Andrew  P.,  b.  1855,  m.  1878,  Clara  Upton  of  Tyngsboro,  Mass., 
lives  in  Tyngsboro  and  has  two  children. 

George  C.  Hadley,  son  of  Dr.  Dewitt  C.  and  Mary  A.  (Haggett) 
Hadley,  b.  Hancock,  Sept.  3,  1852,  fitted  for  college  at  Francestown  and 
New  Ipswich  Academies,  m  (1)  Sept.  23,  1880,  Mary  R,  dau.  of  William 
P.  and  Frances  C.  (Bartlett)  Burnham  of  Milford.  She  d.  Dec.  15,  1881, 
age  25  years.  He  m.  (2)  Lizzie  A.  Goss  of  Kingston,  N.  H.,  dau.  of 
Henry  S.  and  Martha  Goss.  He  moved  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1882,  is  a 
farmer.     Ch.   b.   in   Mont   Vernon. 

1.  Bertha   M.,  b.   April  18,  1884. 

2.  Alice   M.,   b.   April   21,   1886. 

3.  Dewitt  C,  b.  Nov.  15,  1888,  d.  Dec.  3,  1888. 

4.  Lura   A.,   b.    Oct.    15,    1889. 

Gilbert  Hadley,  b.  Goffstown,  N.  H.,  June  6,  1819,  m.  Nov.  11,  1851, 
Mary  E.  Wilson  of  Weare,  lived  on  farm  in  East  District.  He  d.  Mont 
Vernon,  June  12,  1891.  She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  April  15,  1896.  Ch.  b. 
New  Boston. 

1.  William  Fred,  b.  Feb.  10,  1854,  lived  on  his  father's  farm  in  East 
District,  moved  to  Gloucester,  Mass.,  in  1897,  was  selectman  three  years 
in  Mont  Vernon,  m.  Oct.  2,  1882,  Emma  Babson  of  Gloucester,  Mass. 
He  d.  Gloucester,  Feb.  10,  1903.  Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon.  Ethel  M.,  b.  Feb. 
5,  1883,  res.  Gloucester;  Edward  B.,  b.  Oct.  16,  1888,  res.  Gloucester. 

2.  Frank  Henrv,  b.  Jan.  22,   1859,  d.   Goffstown,  June  2,  1861. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  73 

HARTSHORN. 

John  Hartshorn,  1).  Lyndeboro,"  lived  on  the  farm  owned  by  Maurice 
Herlehy  in  the  South  District  several  years  in  the  thirties  and  forties. 
He  m.  (1)  Susanah  Curtis  of  Lyndeboro',  by  whom  he  had  three  ch. 
She  d.  Mont  Vernon.  He  m.  (2)  Mehitable  Carkin  of  Lyndeboro',  no 
ch.     She  d.  Feb.   19,  1881,  aged  81  years.     Ch. : 

1.  Susan  E.  R.,  b.  Hancock,  Vt.,  Dec.  9,  1818,  m.  Rodney  K. 
Hutchinson,  Nov.  12,  1840,  5  children,  d.  Milford,  Aug.  17,  1853. 

2.  Sirepta  J.,  b.  Lyndeboro',  June  21,  1826,  m.  after  her  sister's 
death,  Rodney  K.  Hutchinson  of  Milford,  Oct.  6,  1855,  had  2  ch.  She 
d.  Nov.  2,  1901  in  Milford. 

?>.  John,  emigrated  to  Ohio,  carpenter,  was  a  captain  in  the  Civil 
War. 

HARWOOD. 

John  Harwood,  b.  1777,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  13,  1845,  age  68, 
lived  in  the  "old  red  house"  west  of  the  village,  now  owned  by  Estate 
of  William  Stevens,  m.  April  4,  1799,  Mary,  dau.  of  Jeremiah  and  Lois 
OHcyt)  Carleton  of  Lyndeboro'.  She  was  b.  Aug.  3,  1779,  d.  April  18, 
1834,  at  Mont  Vernon.    Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Hannah,  b.  Feb.  6,  1800,  m.  Nov.  28,  1837,  *Joseph  Trow,  d. 
July  21,  1862. 

2.  John,  b.  1801,  d.  Littleton,  Col.,  July,  1889,  age  88  years,  had 
two  ch.  b.  Nashua,  viz. :  1.  Dr.  John  S.  Harwood,  a  surgeon  in  the  army 
d.  in  practice  at  Lowell,  Mass.     2.  Angeline,  m.  Henry  Little. 

3.  Joseph,  b.  1802  or  1803,  m.  Nancy  Perham  of  Lyndeboro',  April 
7,  1837.  He  d.  May  25,  1864,  age  61.  She  afterwards  m.  Edward  Fowle 
of  Woburn,  Mass.,  and  d.  there  July  21,  1890,  aged  73.  She  was  b.  April 
7,  1817.  One  dau.,  Mary  Jane  Harwood,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  d.  Feb.  24, 
1862,  age  23. 

4.  *Kilburn. 

5.  Mary,  b.  April  13,  1807,  m.  Sept.  13,  1827,  *Luther  Coggin.  She 
d.   Nov.   4,   1856. 

6.  Lois  Hoyt,  b.  1811,  m.  *Clinton  Roby  of  Mont  Vernon,  d.  June 
11,   1857,  age  46. 

Kilburn  Harwood,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Carleton)  Harwood,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  m.  Sally  Buss  of  Wilton.  They  lived  in  Fitchburg,  Mass., 
had  three  sons  and  one   daughter,  viz. : 

1.  Junius  of  Fitchburg. 

2.  Theresa,  m.  a  lawyer. 

3.  George. 

4.  Kilburn.  m.  Sally  Reeme,  lives  Decatur,  111.,  has  three  dau.,  viz. : 
1.  Josephine,  m.  William  C,  son  of  Harlan  P.  and  Sarah  (Chase) 
Conant  of  Somerville,  Nov.  9,  1893,  lives  Somerville,  Mass. ;  2.  Kate  C. ; 
3.  Mary  Theresa. 

HAZEN. 

John  Hazen,  son  of  Horace  and  Betsey  (Stevens)  Hazen,  b.  Goffs- 
town,  Sept.  10,  1853,  bought  the  Odell  farm  in  the  West  District  in  1885 
where  he  has  since  lived,  m.  Dec.  22,  1880,  Ida  Abbie,  dau.  Calvin  and 
Armindy  J.  (Tucker)  Martin.  She  was  b.  Grafton,  N.  H..  April  10, 
1860.     Ch. 


74  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.  Ida   Belle,  b.   Goffstown,  Feb.  9,   1884. 

2.  Lizzie  Annie,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  8,  1888. 
::.     Arthur  Martin,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  8,  1804. 

HERBERT. 

Rev.  Charles  L).  Herbert,  youngest  son  of  Hon.  George  Herbert  of 
Ellsworth,  Me.,  was  b.  at  that  place,  Sept.  18,  1818,  graduated  at  Bow- 
doin  College  in  1841,  and  three  years  later  at  Bangor  Theological  Semi- 
nary. He  was  immediately  ordained  and  went  as  a  home  missionary  to 
the  West.  After  several  years  in  this  service  he  returned  to  New  Eng- 
land. He  commenced  preaching  in  Mont  Vernon,  July  5,  1850,  as  suc- 
cessor to  Rev.  Bezaleel  Smith,  and  was  installed  pastor  of  the  church 
on  the  6th  of  Nov.,  following.  He  closed  his  pastorate  here  in  April, 
1856,  and  shortly  afterward  was  settled  over  the  Congregational  Church 
at  West  Newbury,  Mass.,  remaining  there  until  1862. 

He  had  qualified  himself  for  the  practice  of  medicine,  and  for  some 
years  practised  as  a  physician  at  Rutland,  Mass.,  preaching  at  the  same 
time.  In  1878  he  was  recalled  to  West  Newbury,  and  was  again  pastor 
there  eight  years.  In  1887  he  became  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Hebron,  N.  Y.,  which  he  resigned  on  account  of  ill  health.  He  d.  Oct. 
13,  1893,  and  was  buried  at  Mt.  Auburn,  Mass.,  Oct.  17.  In  1853  he  m. 
Miss  Sarah  Flanders,  dau.  of  Dr.  Flanders  of  Durham,  N.  H.     Two  sons. 

1.  George  Herbert,  Esq.,  of  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

2.  Rev.  Charles  E.  Herbert,  Esq.,  of  Galway,  N.  Y. 

HERLEHY. 

David  J.  Herlehy,  b.  County  Cork,  Ireland,  March  2,  1829,  came  to 
America  in  1851,  lived  in  Milford  several  years,  bought  the  Milton  Mc- 
Collom  farm  in  the  East  District,  and  has  resided  there  since  Nov.,  1865. 
He  m.  (l)  Ellen  Ahearn  of  Milford.  She  was  b.  in  County  Limerick, 
Ireland,  July,  1834,  d.  Mont  Vernon  in  1868.  He  m.  (2)  Margaret 
Murphy  of  Milford.  She  d.  Nashua,  Dec.  15,  1895,  age  52.  Ch.  by  1st 
wife  b.   in   Milford. 

1.  Mary   A.,    lives    in    Mont    Vernon,    unm. 

2.  Patrick  H.,  m.  lives  in  Nashua,  has  4  children. 

3.  Eliza  Frances,  d.  April  16,   1883,  age  22. 

4.  Benjamin  John,  m.,  lives  in  Cambridgeport,  Mass.,  has  3  ch. 
Children  by  2nd  wife  b.   in  Mont  Vernon. 

5.  David,   d.  young. 

6.  *Maurice,  b.  Jan.  24,  1873. 

7.  James,  b.  March,  1875,  lives  Mont  Vernon. 

8.  Josephine,  d.  young. 

Maurice  Herlehy,  son  of  David  J.  and  Margaret  (Murphy)  Herlehy, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  24,  1873,  is  a  laborer  and  farmer,  residing  in  South 
District,  m.  Sept.  21,  1898,  Minnie  A.  Regan  of  Maiden,  Mass.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Abbie  Catherine,  b.  Nov.  12,  1899. 

2.  Robert   Everett,   b.    Feb.    8,    1901. 

3.  Walter  Cecil,  b.  Nov.  9,  1902. 

HERRICK. 
Josiah    Herrick,    son    of    Josiah    and    Joanna    (Dodge)     Herrick,    b. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  75 

Wenham,  Mass.,  Nov.  10,  1733,  d.  in  Mont  Vernon  in  April,  1799.  He 
m.  Mary  Low  of  Ipswich,  who  d.  in  Oct.,  1806,  aged  71.  They  settled 
in  Mont  Vernon  in  the  East  District  about  1781.     Children: 

1.  Mary,  d.   April  6,  1836,  aged  80,  unm. 

2.  Joanna,  d.  in   Milford,  unm. 

3.  Josiah,  in.  (1)  Esther  Tarhell,  m.  (2)  Fanny  Howard,  March 
16,  1841.  He  settled  in  Antrim  and  d.  there  April  8,  1853,  leaving  no 
children.     He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  for  Independence. 

4.  Lydia,  b.  April,  1765,  m.  John  Cochran,  Jr.,  of  Amherst,  Jan.  10, 
1803,  d.   Sept.  23,   1836,   2  children. 

5.  William,  b.  Jan.  19,  1767,  m.  Elizabeth  Kilman,  settled  in  Essex, 
Mass.,  and  d.  there. 

6.  Betsey,  b.  May  7,  1769,  m.  Sept.  5,  1795,  *Joseph  Coggin,  Jr.,  d. 
Mont  Vernon,   April   6,   1846,   6  children. 

7.  Daniel  Low,  b.  Dec.  4,  1771,  m.  Hannah,  dau.  of  Isaac  and  Han- 
nah   (Cole)    Weston,  resided  in   Merrimack,  and  d.  there. 

8.  Jonathan,  b.  Jan.  22,   1774. 

9.  *Joseph,  b.   Nov.  3,  1775. 

10.  Sarah,  b.  Feb.  28,  1778,  m.  Ebenezer  Weston  of  Amherst,  3 
ch.,  d.  June  22,   1857. 

11.  Hannah,  b.  in  1780,  d.  young. 

Joseph  Herrick,  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Low)  Her  rick,  b.  Wen- 
ham,  Nov.  3,  1775,  m.  Mary  Cox  of  Beverly,  Mass.,  April  18,  1805.  They 
settled  in  Beverly,  rem.  to  Mont  Vernon,  lived  in  the  East  District,  was 
a  farmer,  rem.  to  Antrim  where  he  d.  Jan.  18,  1833.     Children  were: 

1.  Joseph,  b.  in  March,  1806,  was  m.,  lived  in  Antrim,  had  ch. 

2.  William  Cox,  b.  in  May.  1808,  m.  May  16,  1833,  Sally  Russell, 
lived  in  Nashua.  Had  one  son,  Fred,  liquor  dealer,  Blackstone  St.,  Bos- 
ton, d.  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

3.  Sarah  "Batchelder,  b.   Dec.   23,   1810. 

4.  Samuel  D.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  22,  1815,  m.  Dec.  12,  1841, 
Mary  Elizabeth  Abbott  who  was  b.  June  11,  1822.  Lived  in  Beverly  and 
Amherst,  had  5  ch.,  d.  Amherst,  May  17,  1901. 

5.  Josiah,  b.   Sept.   27,  1818. 

6.  John,  b.  1822,  lived  in  Lyndeboro'  and  Peterboro',  tanner,  was  m. 
twice  and  had  ch. 

7.  Harriet,  b.  1825,  m.  William  H.  Gilmore  of  Hillsboro',  lived  in 
Hillsboro',  Lower  Village. 

Jonathan  Herrick.  son  of  Josiah  and  Mary  (Low)  Herrick,  b.  Wen- 
ham,  Mass.,  Jan.  22,  1774,  d.  in  Amherst,  Aug.  28,  1858,  m.  Deborah  Col- 
burn  of  Dracut,  Mass.  She  was  b.  Jan.  10,  1779,  d.  Oct.  18,  1860.  They 
resided  in  Merrimack,  Mont  Vernon  and  Amherst.  He  was  one  of  the 
selectmen  of  Mont  Vernon  several  years.    Their  ch.  were : 

1.  Mary  C,  b.  Nov.  5,  1805,  d.  in  Amherst,  Dec.  12,  1871,  unm. 

2.  Nancy,  b.  Nov.  19,  1810,  m.  April  7,  1831,  Levi  J.  Secomb,  had 
2  ch. 

3.  Fanny  C,  b.  March  27,  1816,  m.  Dec.  11,  1850.  Daniel  F.  Secomb 
of  Amherst.     She  d.  Sept.  7,  1859. 

4.  Jonathan,  b.  June  26,  1822,  d.  in  Francestown,  Sept.  7,  1852,  unm. 

HEYWOOD. 

Nathaniel  Heywood  was  prominent  in  the  organization  of  the  north- 
west parish   of   Amherst    (now    Mont   Vernon).     He   d.    1790.     His   will 


70  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

dated  June  29,  1787,  was  presented  for  probate  April  26,   1790.     In  it  he 
names   his   wife,  Annie  and   ch. 

1.  Sarah,  m.  William  Manning. 

2.  Mary,  m.  Timothy  Manning. 

3.  Nathaniel. 

4.  Abigail. 

5.  Huldah,  m.   William   Burnam. 

6.  *Joshua,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1795,  ordained  and 
installed  minister  of  Dunstable,  Mass.,  June  5,  1799,  d.  there  Nov.  11, 
1814,  age  51,  m.  Lydia  French  of  Boston,  Jan.  27,  1800. 

7.  *William. 

Rev.  Joshua  Heywood  was  a  large  man,  dark  complexioned,  digni- 
fied and  courteous  in  his  demeanor,  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 
Dr.  Loring  said  of  him  at  Dunstable,  Sept.  17,  1873,  "Of  minister  here  or 
elsewhere  can  higher  praise  be  uttered,  than  of  Joshua  Heywood,  who, 
recognizing  the  burdens,  which  pressed  upon  his  people,  declined  to  avail 
himself  of  any  statute  for  his  pecuniary  advantage,  refused  to  make  the 
stipulation  between  him  and  his  people,  a  matter  of  speculation  and  ap- 
pealed to  their  sense  of  honor  to  stand  by  the  contract  he  had  made 
with  them,  though  it  be  to  his  own  loss. 

William  Heywood,  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Annie  Heywood,  lived  in 
the  South  District.     He  m.   Ely   Parker.     Ch. 

1.  Amy,  b.  April  15,  1791,  m.  Jan.  31,  1812,  *Abial  Wilkins.  She 
d.   Aug.  23,  1872. 

2.  Lucv,  b.  July  9,  1795,  m.  March  6,  1827,  John  Town  of  Milford, 
d.  Milford,  Feb.  13,  1879,  had  5  ch. 

HILDRETH. 

Edward  Hildreth,  son  of  Mrs.  Eliza  Wheeler,  b.  Amherst,  June  19, 
1841,  m.  (1)  Jane,  dau.  of  Nahum  and  Keziah  (Peabody)  Bullard  of 
Amherst,  Aug.  30,  1864,  m.  (2)  Jan.  1,  1894,  Mrs.  Isaphine  (Jackson) 
Milliken,  b.  Bluehill,  Me.  Since  1868  (1902)  he  has  lived  in  Mont  Vernon. 
By   1st  wife. 

1.     Albert,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.,  1874,  lives  Sharon,  N.  H. 

HILL. 

Timothy  Hill  m.  Judith  Sherwin.  He  lived  on  the  farm  lately  oc- 
cupied by  W.  F.  Hadley  in  the  East  District.  Ch.  b.  in  Mont  Vernon 
probably.     The  sons  were  : 

1.  Ralph. 

2.  Samuel. 

3.  *James. 

4.  Calvin. 

5.  Mary,  m.  William  Dodge,  Nov.  27,  1806. 

6.  Sarah,   dau.,  m.  Alva  Wilkins  of  Mont  Vernon. 

James  Hill,  son  of  Timothy  and  Judith  (Sherwin)  Hill,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  m.  Huldah  Peabody  of  New  Boston.  He  lived  on  his  father's 
farm  in  the  East  District  and  d.  there  Jan.  8,  1852,  age  61  years,  6  months. 
She  d.  Nov.  2,  1854,  age  56  years.     Ch.  b.  M^ont  Vernon. 

1.  James,  b.  Jan.,  1820,  resides  Maiden,  Mass..  m.  Mrs.  Jones  of  Mai- 
den. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  77 

2.  *Ira,  b.  Dec.  18,  1821. 

3.  Samuel  Harris,  m.  a  Miss  Cram  of  Lyndeboro',  lived  and  d.  in 
Amherst,  was  an  iron   foundry  man,  had  several  ch. 

4.  Deborah  J.,  m.  Amos  Putnam  of  Milford,  had  5  ch. 

5.  William,  b.  1827,  was  a  merchant  and  prominent  citizen  in  Til- 
ton,  N.  H.,  d.  1891. 

6.  Mary,  b.  Sept.  7,  1826,  m.  *Charles  Marvell,  Oct.  16,  1851,  d.  April 
29,  1880. 

7.  Granville,   m.    Harriet   Whittemore,   lived    in    Amherst,   had   7   ch. 

8.  *Timothy  B.,  b.  June  22,  1832. 

9.  Joseph  was  a  merchant  associated  in  business  with  his  brother 
William,  in  Tilton,  N.  H.,  had  3  ch. 

10.  Eliza,  m.  Mr.  Mygatt  of  Nashua,  had  two  sons,  one  of  them, 
Harry,  is  a  doctor  in  Franklin,  N.  H. 

11.  Hiram,  d.   Wakefield,  Mass.,  had  4  ch. 

12.  Levi,  unm. 

13.  Abby,   d.    unm. 

Ira  Hill,  son  of  James  and  Huldah  (Peabody)  Hill,  b.  Mont  Vernon, 
Dec.  18,  1821,  m.  Feb.,  1845,  Harriet,  dau.  of  David  and  Delinda  (Saun- 
ders) Dutton,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  12,  1826,  d.  Sept.  6,  1875.  He  m.  (2) 
July,  1879,  Arvilla  J.  Wilson,  b.  Weare,  N.  H.,  Dec.  3,  1825.  He  d. 
March  12,  1899.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Josephine  Estelle,  b.  Dec.  18,  1847,  d.  Nov.  9,   1852. 

2.  "Clarence  Latimer,  b.  Aug.  10,  1856,  m.  Annie  F.  Raymond  of 
Dunstable,  Mass.,  Sept.  3,  1882,  lives  in  Reed's  Ferrv,  Merrimack,  N.  H. 
Cooper.  Ch.  1.  Flora  Estelle,  b.  Jan.  17,  1888;  2.  Lillian  Pearl,  b.  Feb. 
6,  1887. 

3.  Cleon  Mortimer,  b.  Feb.,  1863,  m.  Eva  Robinson  of  Dover,  N.  H. 
Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon.  1.  Hazel  Maude,  b.  Feb.  23,  1887,  d.  Nov.  25,  1896; 
2.  Chrystabel  Florence,  b.  Aug.  25,  1890. 

4.  George  Edward,  b.  Sept.  19,  1865,  m.  Ida  Shirley,  dau.  of  Daniel 
C.  and  Julia  A.  (dickering)  Shirley  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  March  19, 
1871.     They  live  in  Amherst. 

Timothy  Barrett  Hill,  son  of  James  and  Huldah  (Peabody)  Hill,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  June  22,  1832,  m.  Aug.  26,  1862,  Janette,  dau.  of  Joel  and 
Lucinda  (Averill)  Duncklee  of  Milford.  He  has  resided  Amherst,  Gard- 
ner, Mass.,  Milford,  d.  in  Amherst,  May  27,  1903.     Ch.  b.   Amherst. 

1.  Minnie  B.,  b.   March   14,   1864,  m.   Frank   Boutelle  of   Milford. 

2.  Annie  L,  b.  Aug.  20,  1866,  m.  John  G.  Boutelle  of  Pepperell, 
Mass.,  one  son. 

3.  Katie,  b.  July  17,  1870,  d.  unm.,  July  29,  1891. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Hill,  b.  Brookfield,  Mass.,  May,  1822,  m.  Hannah, 
dau.  of  Daniel  and  Cynthia  (Wilkins)  Smith.  He  d.  Nov.  5,  1860,  age 
66      She  d.  Dec.  1,  1866,  age  68.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Rufus  Franklin,  d.  Lowell.  Mass.,  March  23,  1883,  age  58.  He 
m    Sarah  Lawrence   of   Peterboro',   :'.   ch.,   viz.:    Charles,    Susan,   Frank. 

2.  Daniel  S.,  d.  Peterboro',  Jan.  7,  1867,  age  42,  left  2  dau,  m.  (1) 
Ellen  O'Donald  of  Peterboro',  2  ch..  Freeman  and  Caroline,  m.  (2) 
Caroline    Stiles    of    Peterboro'.  .   . 

3.  Maria  F.,  b.  Oct.  16,  1829.  m.  Jan..  1865,  Benjamin  F.  Livingstone, 
d.  Sept.  13,  1880,  left  3  dau. 


78  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

4.  Nancy  E.,  b.  Sept.  6,  1832,  m.  Dec,  1847,  *Peter  F.  Pike  of  Mon* 
Vernon. 

William   Orledge   Hill,    b.    Meadville,    Pa.,    March   22,    1846    m    Dec 
1879,  at  Milford,  Etta  May,  dau.  of  Clinton  and  Elizabeth  (Bennett)   May 
She  was  b.  Jan.  25,  1863.    He  purchased  the  Hartshorn  house  in  the  East 
District,  living  there  several  years,  leaving  here  in  1894  for  Manchester, 
supposed  to  live  in  Haverhill.    He  is  not  living.    Ch.  b.  in  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Harry  Orledge.  b.  Aug.  30,  1880. 

2.  Arthur  Cordell,  b.  Sept.  19,  1882. 

3.  Fanny  Cordell,  b.  July  6,  1885. 

4.  Gilbert   Townsend,   b.    May    1,   1891. 

HOLT. 

Ebenezer,  son  of  Samuel  and  Hannah  (Farnum)  Holt,  was  b.  in 
Andover,  Mass.,  April  8,  1705,  m.  Mehitable  Stevens,  Dec.  4,  1729.  About 
1750  they  removed  to  Mont  Vernon,  where  she  d.  May,  1805,  aged  97. 
Their  ch.  all  b.   in  Andover,  were : 

X.     *Ebenezer,  b.   Sept.  7,  1730. 

2.  Mehitable,  b.  Sept.  3,  1733,  m.  James  Holt,  Jan.  2,  1755,  d.  March 
4,   1767. 

Twins. 

3.  Mary,  1).  June  15,  1737,  m.  Darius  Abbott,  had  9  ch. 

4.  Priscilla,  b.  June  15,  1737. 
Twins. 

5.  Rachel,  b.  July  7,  1741,  d.  July  14,  1747. 

6.  *Ezekiel,  b.  July  7,  1741. 

7.  Reuben  Holt,  b.  June  27,  1744,  d.  Landgrove,  Vt.,  March  2,  1836, 
m.  Lydia  Small,  had  6  ch. 

8.  Hepsibah,  b.  June  13,  1747,  m.  William  Hartshorn,  no  ch.  She  d. 
Amherst,  Jan.  11,  1851,  aged  10^/2  years. 

Ebenezer  Holt,  Jr.,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Mehitable  (Stevens)  Holt, 
b.  Andover,  Sept.  7,  1730,  m  Lydia,  dau.  of  Moses  and  Sarah  (Holt) 
Peabody.  She  was  b.  July  5,  1731.  They  settled  on  the  farm  now  occu- 
pied by  W.  L.  Robinson,  in  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  d.  in  April,  1805. 
Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Rebecca,  b.  Sept.  7,  1752,  m.  Jonathan  Lamson,  March  14,  1782, 
one  son. 

2.  Sarah,  b.  1757,  m.  Moses  Peabody,  May  25,  1786.  She  d.  Mont 
Vernon,   May  25,   1845,  had  2  ch. 

Ezekiel  Holt,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Mehitable  (Stevens)  Holt,  b. 
Andover,  July  7,  1741,  m.  Mary  Stewart,  dau.  of  Samuel  Stewart,  and 
sister  of  David  Stewart,  who  was  County  Treasurer  from  1803  until 
1821.  She  was  b.  Sept.  2,  1749.  Ezekiel  Holt  was  a  citizen  of  Mont 
Vernon    in    1804.     Ch. 

1.  Elizabeth,    b.    July    8,    1773. 

2.  Mary,   b.    Dec.    11,    1775. 

3.  Sarah,  b.  Sept.  10,  1780. 

4.  Ezekiel,  b..  Aug.  19,  1782. 

5.  David,  b.   Feb.  27,  1792. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  79 

Stephen  D.  Holt,  b.  Andover,  Mass.,  July,  1822,  in.  Nov.  29,  1849, 
Joanna  Augusta,  dan.  of  Franklin  and  Mary  (Spaulding)  Hadley  of 
Lyndeboro'.  He  d.  Lyndeboro',  April  25,  1876.  Mrs.  Hadley  removed  to 
Mont  Vernon  village  with  her  three  ch.  in  fall  of  1877.     Ch. : 

1.  Charles  Dexter,  b.  Francestown,  Jan.  25,  1851,  d.  Mont  Vernon, 
Oct.    4,    1881. 

2.  Frances  Augusta,  b.  Francestown,  March  17,  1854,  resides  Mont 
Vernon,   unm. 

3.  George  Franklin,  1).  Lyndeboro'.  Aug.  6,  1856,  carpenter,  resides 
Mont   Vernon. 

HOOPER. 

Wallace  D.  Hooper,  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Lucy  (Carson)  Hooper,  b. 
New  Boston,  Jan.  27,  1838.  Mrs.  Lucy  D.  (Carson)  Hooper  d.  Dec. 
27,  1888,  age  78.  He  came  to  Mont  Vernon  and  bought  the  Fox  farm, 
Jan.,  1894.  He  m.  (1)  Mary  Applebee.  He  m.  (2)  Martha  Ann,  dau. 
of  Alexander  and  Margaretta  (Hopkins)  Carson.  She  was  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Feb.  28,  1846,  m.  May  9,  1878.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  Nathanial  Frank,  b.  Fort  Warren,  Boston,  Nov.  20,  1868,  farmer, 
res.  Mont  Vernon,  m.  1898,  Nettie,  dau.  of  Alexander  and  Margaretta 
(Hopkins)  Carson.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  has  one  dau.,  Lucy,  b. 
1898.     Ch.  Lucy,  b.   Mont  Vernon,   March  30,  1898. 

Ch.  by  second  wife : 

2.  Wallace  D„  1).   April   17,   1879,  d.   July,  1879. 

HOPKINS. 

James  Hopkins,  m.   (l)    Mary  Beard,  m.    (2)    Mary  Taylor  of  Hollis, 
ch.  were  b.  in  Mont  Vernon. 
Ch.  by  first  wife: 
1.     A   dau. 
Ch.  by  second  wife : 

2.     Sarah,  m.  David  Marshall  of  New  Boston,  June  6,  1796. 
?,.     *James,  b.  June  10,  1781. 

4.  Mary,  b.   March    15,   1783.  d.   unm.,  Feb.,   1803. 

James  Hopkins,  Jr.,  son  of  James  and  Mary  (Taylor  Hopkins,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  June  10,  1781,  m.  Aug.  9,  1804,  Azubah  Curtis  of  Lynde- 
boro'. She  d.  Sept.  26,  1855,  age  74.  He  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Nancy  Gould  of 
Nashua.  She  d.  1857.  He  d.  Sept.  26,  1862.  He  lived  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  his  son-in-law,  Alexander  Carson,  in  the  South  District.  Ch. 
b.  in   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  David,  b.  Jan.,  1805,  m.  (l)  Mary  Gould.  She  d.  Aug.  12,  1870, 
age  52  years,  m.  (2)  Ede  E.,  dau.  Amos  and  Sarah  (Whiting)  Phelps. 
He  d.  Wilton,  Oct.  13,  1888. 

2.  Mary,  b.  Jan.  9,  1806,  d.  May  16,  1867,  m.  *Noah  Hutchinson. 
Twins. 

3.  *Tncob.  b.   March  12,   1809. 

4.  John  W.,  d.  July  29,  1811. 

5.  James  W.,  b.  Feb.,  1813,  m.  1836,  Mary  Jane  Patch.  She  was  b. 
Antrim,  1818.  d.  Mont  Vernon,  1863.  He  d.  New  Boston,  Sept.  10,  1890. 
They  had  six  ch.— five  sons  and  one  dau,  Fanny,  all  b.  in  Mont  Vernon. 

6      Sarah,  b.  1816,  m.  *John  J.  Carson.     She  d.  Nov.  18,  1887,  age  71: 


80  HISTORY   OF   MONT  VERNON. 

7.  Olive,  1).  Feb.  5,  1819,  m.  Thomas  Carr  Kidder,  had  two  sons  and 
four  daughters,  who  grew  up.     She  d.  in  Milford,  June  16,  1894. 

8.  Margaretta,  b.  Dee.  14,  1822,  m.  Dec.  23,  1843,  ^Alexander  Carson. 

9.  Harriet  N.,  b.  April  26,  1824,  m.  *Joseph  H.  Tarbell,  Aug.  23, 
1844,   res.    Mont  Vernon. 

Jacob  Hopkins,  son  of  James  and  Azubah  (Curtis)  Hopkins,  1>.  Mont 
Vernon,  March  12,  1809,  d.  Feb.  24,  1881,  was  a  shoemaker,  m.  Mary 
Marhsall  of  New  Boston,  who  d.  Nov.  12,  1840,  aged  38.     Ch. 

1.  Sarah  A.,   d.  June   7,   1843,  d.  young. 

2.  John   A.,   d.    Oct.    26,    1854,   age    17. 

HUMPHREY. 

Leander  F.  Humphrey,  sou  of  Franklin  and  Mary  (Lane)  Humphrey, 
b.  Barnston,  Canada,  May  7,  1855,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  from  Manchester 
inl894,  owns  and  operates  the  stage  route  from  Milford  to  Mont  Vernon. 
He  m.  Sept.  2,  1894,  Cora  E.  Davis,  dau.  Freeman  and  Caroline  (Ryan) 
Davis.  She  was  b.  Richford,  Vt.,  Feb.  27,  1866.  She  came  to  Mont  Ver- 
non from  Manchester,  m.  1894.     Ch. 

1.     Carl  Lawrence,  b.  Jan.  19,  1902. 

HUTCHINSON. 

Elisha  Hutchinson,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  was  b.  at  Middleton, 
Mass.,  Dec.  6,  1751,  d.  at  Milford,  Oct.  12,  1800,  m.  Sarah  Buxton,  Nov. 
10,  1772.  She  was  b.  at  Middleton  in  1751,  d.  Feb.,  1828.  They  settled 
in  that  part  of  Amherst  now  Milford  in  1779.     Ch. 

1.  Andrew,  b.  Feb.  1,  1775,  m.  Martha  Rayment  (or  Raymond,  sister 
of  George  Raymond,  who  was  grandfather  of  Charles  H.  Ravmond), 
d.  Milford,  Oct.  22,  1862. 

2.  *Jesse,   b.   Middleton,   Feb.   3,   1778. 

3.  Sarah,  m.   *William   Marvell. 

Jesse  Hutchinson,  son  of  Elisha  and  Sarah  (Buxton)  Hutchinson,  b. 
Feb.  3,  1778,  at  Middleton,  m.  Mary,  dau.  of  Andrew  Leavitt.  She  was  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  July  25,  1785.  was  m.  Aug.  7,  1800,  d.  Milford,  Sept.  20, 
1868.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  lived  in  the  North  part  of  Milford  on  the 
Hutchinson  farm,  bought  the  Col.  Burnham  place  in  Milford.  and  d. 
there   Feb.   16,   1851.     Ch.   b.   in    Milford. 

1.  Jesse,  b.   Feb.   25,   1802,    d.    April   11,    1811. 

2.  David,  b.  Oct.  11,  1803. 

3.  *Noah,  b.   Jan.   26,   1805. 

4.  Pollv  or  Mary,  b.  June  7.  1806. 

5.  Andrew   B.,  b.   Aug.   19.   1808. 

6.  Zephaniah  K.,  b.  Jan.  6,  1810. 
Twins. 

7.  Caleb,  b.   Nov.   25,    1811. 

8.  Toshua,  b.  Nov.  25,  1811. 

9.  Jesse,   Jr.,   b.    Sept.    29,    1813. 

10.  Benjamin   Pierce,   b.    Oct.   3,    1815. 

11.  Adoniran  Judson  Joseph,  b.  March  24,  1817. 

12.  Sarah   Rhoda  Jane,  b.   March   14,   1819. 

13.  John  Wallace,  b.  Jan.  4,  1821. 

14.  Asa   Burnham,  b.   March   14,   1823. 


NOAH  B.  HUTCHINSON. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  81 

15.  Elizabeth,  b.   Nov.  14,   1824. 

16.  Abigail  (Jemina)    (Abby),  b.  Aug.  29,  1829. 

Four  of  these  children,  three  sons  and  one  daughter,  Judson,  John, 
Asa  and  Abby,  were  the  famous  Hutchinson  singers  of  the  "Tribe  of 
Jesse." 

John  W.  Hutchinson  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  surviving.  He 
lives  at  Lynn  Mass. 

Noah  B.  Hutchinson,  son  of  Jesse  and  Mary  (Leavitt)  Hutchinson, 
b.  Milford,  Jan.  26,  1805,  moved  on  to  the  Odell  farm  in  South  Dist.  in 
1822,  now  occupied  by  his  son,  Appleton,  and  lived  there  many  years. 
He  d.  March  10.  1873.  He  m.  April  5,  1827,  Mary,  dau.  James  and 
Azubah  (Curtis  Hopkins),  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon 
Jan.  9,  1806,  d.  May  16,  1867.     Ch. 

1.  Frances  J.,  b.  Milford,  May  21,  1828,  d.  Oct.  25.  1833. 

2.  *Andrew   Buxton,  b.  Milford,  July  9,   1830 

3.  Matthew  Bartlett,  b.  Milford,  April  16,  1832,  d.  unm.  March  11, 
1895,  lived  in   Mont  Vernon. 

4.  Aaron  Bruce,  b.  Mont  Vernon  Aug.  4,  1834,  m.  Dec.  31,  1868, 
Ellen,  dau.  of  William  W.  and  Lucinda  (Hutchinson)  Burns,  of  Milford. 
She  was  b.  Aug.  5,  1848,  d.  Feb.  6,  1898.  He  Hved  in  Milford,  was  a 
mechanic,  d.  there  Julv  23,  1899. 

5.  Ann  Jane,  b.  Mont  Vernon  May  15,  1836,  m.  October  16,  1864, 
Daniel  Sargent  of  Milford. 

6     *Lucius  Bolles,  b.  Mont  Vernon  Jan.  6,  1839. 

7.  David  Judson.  b.  Mont  Vernon  July  21,  1842,  m.  Oct.  26,  1881, 
Mary  J.,  dau.  Luther  B.*  and  Dorothy  (Keyes)  Phelps,  of  that  city.  Was 
a  broker.  Retired.  Resides  New  York  City  winters  and  Mont  Vernon 
summers. 

8.  Mary  Victoria,  b.  Mont  Vernon  June  22,  1845,  d.  South  Orange, 
N.  J.,  May  14,  1864. 

9.  Chestina  Augusta,  b.  Mont  Vernon  Oct.  5,  1847,  m.  Hazen  F. 
Wooster  of  Canaan,  N.  H.,  resides  there,  has  two  sons. 

10.  *Henry  Appleton,  b.  Aug.  16,  1850. 

Andrew  Buxton  Hutchinson,  son  Noah  B.  and  Mary  (Hopkins) 
Hutchinson,  b.  Milford,  July  9.  1830,  carpenter,  resided  South  Orange. 
N.  J.,  d.  there  June  24,  1890,  m.  Dec.  5  1857,  Ellen  T.,  dau.  Rev.  David 
and  Jane   (Kirkpatrick)    Kline,  of  Glen,  Gardner,   N.   J.     Ch. 

1.  Frank  Stuart,  b.  April  29,  1870,  d.  Aug.  21,  1871. 

2.  Florence  K.,  b.  Oct.  20.  1875. 

Lucius  Bolles  Hutchinson,  son  of  Noah  B.  and  Mary  (Hopkins) 
Hutchinson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  6,  1839,  left  here  for  New  York  City 
in  1856,  was  stock  broker  there,  is  now  retired,  resident  of  Mont  Vernon, 
m.  Jan.  6,  1864,  Alice  M.,  dau.  Boynton  Rollins,  of  New  York  City.     Ch. 

1.  Alice,  b.  June  22,  1867.  m.  Mr.  Wallace. 

2.  Mary,  b.  Aug.  28,  1871,  m.  Edw.  Wendelstadt. 

Henry  Appleton  Hutchinson,  son  of  Noah  B.  and  Mary  (Hopkins) 
Hutchinson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  16.  1850,  farmer  and  lumber  dealer, 
resides  on  the  homestead  in  South  Dist.,  m.  Oct.  14,  1871,  Lucy  J.,  dau. 
Luke  and  Elizabeth  (Langdell)  Wilkins,  of  Mont  Vernon.  Ch.  b„  Mont 
Vernon : 

1.     Roy  Wilkins,  b.  Aug.  4,  1872,  m.  (l)  1893,  Katherine  V.  Welch  of 


82  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Mont  Vernon,  one  ch.,  Jean,  b.  1894;  m.(2)  Mable  Folsom  of  Greenville 
Me.,   resides  South  Framingham,   Mass. 

2.  Maude  Lola,  b.  Oct.  22,  1872,  m.  May  21,  1896,  Charles  F.  Isola, 
res.    Mont   Vernon. 

.'!.     Amy  Victoria,  b.   March  28,  1878. 

4.  Ethelle,  b.   May  21,  1880. 

5.  Abby,  b.  Oct.  9,  1887. 

Rodney  K.  Hutchinson,  son  of  Alfred  and  Lydia  (Foster)  Hutchin- 
son, b.  Milford,  Aug.  7,  1812.  Was  a  carpenter,  lived  with  his  father-in- 
law,  John  Hartshorn,  on  a  farm,  now  owned  by  Maurice  Herlihy,  in 
the  South  Dist.,  lived  in  Milford  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  d.  Milford, 
Jan.  24,  1890.  M.  (1)  Nov.  12,  1840,  Susan  E.  R.,  dau.  *John  and 
Susannah  (Curtis)  Hartshorn.  She  was  b.  Hancock,  Vt,  Dec.  9,  1818, 
d.  Milford,  Aug.  17,  1853.  M.  (2)  Oct.  6,  1855,  Sarepta  J.,  a  sister  of  his 
first  wife,  b.  Lyndeboro,  June  21,  1826,  d.  Milford,  Nov.  2,  1901.  Ch.  b. 
Milford.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  Alfred  Alonzo,  b.  Jan.  7,  1842,  carpenter,  res.  Milford,  m.  Jan.  6, 
1867,  Hattie  J.  Fairfield  of  Hancock,  one  ch. 

2.  Rodney  Lorenzo,  b.  Feb.  14,  1844,  d.  Aug.  27,  1847. 

3.  Mary  Olivia,  b.  Oct.  3,  1846,  m.  March  21,  1888,  John  C,  son 
John  C.  and  Mary  Fifield,  res.   Candia. 

4.  Susan  Luella,  b.  Oct.  6,  1849,  d.  July  27,  1856. 

5.  Viletta  Jane,  b.   March  2,  1853,  d.  July  17,  1856. 
Ch.  by  second  wife : 

6.  Susan  Viletta,  b.  Nov.,  1857,  m.  April  28,  1880,  George  L.,  son  of 
George  and  Melinda  Y.   (Bent)   Parker,  res.  Nashua. 

7.  John  Curtis,  b.  Dec.  22,  1856,  mechanic,  res.  Milford. 

8.  Willie  Ellsworth,  b.  Dec.  21,  1861,  mechanic,  res.  Milford,  m. 
Dec.  21,  1890,  Florence  E.,  dau.  Frank  J.  and  Esther  (Fuller)  Smith, 
of  Milford. 

9.  Grace  B.,  b.  June  7,  1866,  m.  Feb.  14,  1893,  Charles  A.,  son 
Charles  and  Laura  A.   (Hall)    Baker,  res.   Milford. 

HOLLIS. 

Benjamin  Hollis,  shoemaker,  came  to  Mont  Vernon,  from  Braintree, 
Mass.,  in  1844,  bought  the  house  of  Benjamin  Nutter,  then  standing  on 
the  site  where  T.  H.  Richardson  since  lived;  lived  here  until  1848,  when 
he  sold  to  Newell  D.  Foster  and  removed  to  Weare,  thence  to  District 
No.  8,  in  Amherst,  where  he  d.  March  1,  1864.  His  widow,  Abigail  Hollis, 
d.  at  Weare,  April  10,  1885.     Their  only  ch. 

Benjamin  E.,  b.  Braintree,  Mass.,  November  16,  1833,  removed  from 
Amherst  to  Weare,  Nov.,  1865,  m.  Oct.,  1887,  Mrs.  Harriet  F.,  widow 
Alvah  Buxton,  keeps  tavern  in  Weare. 

INGALLS. 

Charles  Osmyn  Ingalls,  b.  Hanover,  N.  H.,  May  5,  1862.  Moved  to 
Mont  Vernon  in  1894,  farmer,  owns  and  occupies  the  Justin  Richardson 
farm  in  South  Dist.,  m.  Nov.  3,  1898,  Hattie  May,  dau.  of  Daniel  and 
Mary  E.  (Twiss)  Richardson.    She  was  b.  Oct.  26,  1876,  in  Mont  Vernon. 

Ch. 

1.     Mary  Elizabeth,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  28,  1899. 


LUCIUS  B.  HUTCHINSON. 


HISTORY  OF   .MONT  VERNON.  83 


RELAND. 


William  II.  Ireland,  b.  Park  St..  Boston,  Jan.  :.'S,  L818,  in.  (1)  Sarah 
A.  Stone,  b.  Cambridge,  Mass.,  Aug.  1,  18:20,  m.  Dec.  5  1839.  She  d. 
Newton  Centre,  Mass.,  Sept.  21.  ISS'.t.  He  m.  (2)  Francy  Laubncr,  Oct. 
7,  1890.  She  was  b.  Aug.  5,  IStiT,  at  Falkenstein,  Bavaria,  Germany.  He 
d.  at  Newton  Centre,  February  10,  1900.  He  came  from  Newton,  Mass., 
in  the  early  forties  to  Mont  Vernon  and  lived  on  a  farm  in  the  southeast 
part  of  the  town.      He  returned  to  Newton  in  I860.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  William  Ezra,  b.  Dec.  14,  1840,  drowned  in  Mississippi  River,  La., 
July  26,   1864. 

2.  *James  Edward,  b.  Aug.   16,   1846. 

3.  *Charles  Henry,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  10,   L850. 

4.  Albert  Frost,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  12,  1852,  m.  April  12,  1896, 
Anna  J.  Richardson  of  Winchester,  Mass.,  b.  July  27,  1866,  two  ch.  He 
was  a  large  building  contractor  of  the  firm  of  C.  H.  and  A.  F.  Ireland. 
D.  Feb.  16,  1903. 

5.  George  W,  b.  June  3,  1854,  d.  June  2,  1858. 

6.  Frank  Fremont,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  8,  1856,  drowned  at  sea, 
near  coast  of  Japan,  Sept.  12,  1885.  He  was  mate  of  a  large  merchant 
vessel. 

7.  Sarah  Anna,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  3,  1859,  m.  June  18,  1883, 
Charles  E.  Kendall  of  Winchester-,  Mass.,  one  son,  Frank  Dana,  b.  Aug 
3,   1887. 

8.  Irving  Whitney,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  24,  1863,  in.  Dec.  8,  1886, 
Olive  E.  Knowles  of  Newton,  has  three  ch.,  is  a  mill  owner  and  resides 
in  Newton  Centre.     Ch.  by  second  wife  b.  Newton  Centre. 

9.  Josephine,  b.   Aug.   10,   1891. 

10.  Francy,  b.  .March  6,  1893. 

11.  Frank  Fremont,  b.  June  25,   1895. 

12.  Wm.  Henry,  b.  1897. 

13.  Helen,  b.   Dec.   16,  1899. 

James  Edward  Ireland,  son  of  William  H.  and  Sarah  (Stone)  Ire- 
land, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  16,  1846,  m.  Oct.  9,  1S7J,  Louisa  G.  Morgan, 
b.  Bournemouth,  Eng.  He  was  a  gardener  in  .Milton,  taking  charge  of  a 
gentleman's  greenhouses  and  grounds.     Ch. 

1.  William   Edward,  b.   July  31,   1872. 

2.  George  Albert,  b.  June  25,   1874. 

3.  Agnes  Freehand,  b.  March  11.  1870,  d.  May  30,  1880. 

4.  Gertrude   Harriet,   b.    Sept.   17,   1880. 

5.  Frank  F.,  b.  Sept.  18,  1880. 

Charles  Henry  Ireland,  son  of  William  H.  and  Sarah  (Stone)  Ire- 
land, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  10,  1850,  m.  Sept.  23,  1879,  Eliza  J.  Kendall 
of  Winchester,  Mass.,  b.  Oct.  14,  1858.  He  is  a  large  building  contractor 
of  the  firm  of  C.  H.  &  A.  F.  Ireland,  Newton  Centre,  Mass.  Ch.  b. 
Newton : 

1.  Marion   K.,  b.  July  0,   1880. 

2.  Lawrence  Stone,  b.  May  1,  1882. 

3.  Mary  Wyman,  b.  Oct.  9,  1884. 

4.  Alice  Helen,  b.  June  22,  1886. 

5.  Ruth  Linda,  b.  Jan.   12,   1889. 

6.  Wallace  Raymond,  b.  June  13,  1891. 

7.  Grace   Pearl,  b.   April   12,   1893. 


84  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

ISOLA. 

Charles  F.  Isola,  b.  Aug.  9,  1874,  came  from  Pepperell  in  1894.  M. 
May  21,  1876,  Maude  L.,  dau.  of  Henry  A.  and  Lucy  (Wilkins)  Hutchin- 
son. She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  22,  1873.  He  built  a  costly  house 
in  the  South  Dist,  where  he  resides. 

JAQUITH. 

Asa  Jaquith,  b.  1792,  Dec,  son  of  Isaac  and  Prudence  Jaquith,  d. 
Nashua,  May  19,  1871,  m.  Mary  T.  Noyes,  dau.  of  Silas  Noyes.  She  was 
b.  Nov.  1806,  d.  Jan.  12,  1862.  They  resided  for  some  years  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  Charles  E.  Kendall  in  the  East  District.  Ch.  b.  in  Mont 
Vernon : 

1.  _  Asa,  b.  Aug.  23,  1823,  voted  here  in  1845  and  1846 ;  was  a  mer- 
chant in  Nashua,  where  he  d.  unm. 

2.  Ebenezer,  b.  April  4,  1825,  m.  Ellen  J.,  dau.  of  William  and 
Naomi  S.  (Wilkins)  Underwood,  of  Amherst.  He  d.  Nashua,  May  6, 
1870. 

3.  Mary  Ann,  b.  Oct.  26,  1826,  m.  April  6,  1854,  Calvin  B.  Duscomb, 
d.  Wilton,  July  17,  1856. 

4.  Almina,  b.  April  10,  1833,  unm. 

5.  Emeline  b.    Sept.   4,   1834,   d.   Oct.   2,   1854. 

Isaac  Jacquith,  father  Asa  Jacquith,  d.  Oct.  2,  1789,  aged  47  years. 
Prudence,  his  wife,  d.  May  8,  1832,  aged  84  years.  Prudence  their  dau., 
and  wife  of  John  Bragg,  d.  May  8,  1827,  aged  42  years. 

JENKINS. 

Micah  Jenkins,  b.  in  Andover,  Mass.,  m.  Betsey  Mooar  of  Milford 
in  1810.  She  was  b.  Jan.  25,  1790,  d.  in  1825.  They  settled  on  the  farm 
now  occupied  by  Leander  Barker.     Ch.  probably  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  Osmore,  b.  December  3,  1815,  watchmaker,  resided  in  Plymouth 
and  Boston,  Mass. 

2.  Deborah,  b.  April  13,  1819,  m.  Jotham  Clark,  resided  in  Granby, 
Mass. 

3.  Luther,  b.  Aug.  27,  1822,   m.    (l)   Putnam   of  Reading; 

m.   (2)  Putnam  of  Reading,  resided  in  Reading. 

William  Patten  Jenkins,  b.  Milton,  N.  H.,  April  16,  1811,  m.  June 
16,  1836,  Martha  S.  Rogers  of  Milton,  lived  in  Hancock  some  years, 
Greenfield  seven  years  and  moved  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1871,  where  he  d. 
June  12,  1884,  aged  73.  His  wife  d.  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  January  5,  1889, 
aged  73.     Their  ch.  were : 

1.  Mary  Emily,  b.  April  14,  1837,  m.  Oct.  28,  1865,  Calvin  E.  Stock- 
bridge  of  Pelham.     She  d.   March  10,  1872. 

2.  Harriette  A.,  b.  May  17,  1839,  m.  June  30,  1869,  Charles  S.  Free- 
born;  resides  St.  Louis. 

3.  Ellen  M.,  b.  March  21,  1841,  m.  Oct.  4,  1865,  Milan  E.  Davis  of 
Hancock,  has  five  ch. 

4.  Henry  S.,  b.  July  16,  1843,  supercargo  on  a  steamboat,  d.  at  New 
Orleans,  Aug.  16,  1874. 

5.  Charles  Albert,  b.  July  21,  1845,  m.  Sarah  L.  Heath,  January  1, 
1867;  lives  in  Milford;  farmer.     Ch. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  85 

1.  Nettie  L.,  b.  Hancock,  Feb.  7,  1870,  m.  Nov.  28,  1889,  Edgar  A. 
Littlefield  of  Wells,  Me.,  res.  Springfield,  Mass. 

2.  Hattie  M.,  b.  Bennington,  Aug.  11,  1871,  m.  May  10,  1897,  Frank 
Davis,  res.  Springfield,  Mass. 

6.  Elizabeth  H.,  b.  Aug.  12,  1847,  m.  June  4,  ::73,  John  M.  Holt, 
lives  in  Haverhill,   Mass. 

7.  Addie  F.,  b.  July  10,  1853,  m.  Edward  S.  Foster  of  Leverett, 
Mass.,  Nov.  24,  1875.  They  lived  here  some  years,  returning  to  Leverett, 
Mass.,  in  1885  have  four  ch. 

8.  Annie  P.,  b.  Mav  15,  1855,  d.  St.  Louis,  unm,  Sept.  19,  1889. 
S.ie  was  buried  at  Mont  Vernon. 

9.  William  P.,  b.  May  23,  1857,  m.  Oct.  11,  1882,  Vienna,  adopted 
dau.  of  Cornelius  and  Aihsah  (H:  ;eltine)  Green,  of  Mont  Vernon.  She 
was  b.  Sept.  16,  1861.       Ci.  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  Annie  May,  b.  July  16,  1883. 

2.  Viola  Ida,  b.  Mav  18,  1885. 

3.  Eva  Maria,  b.  Feb.  18,  1888. 

TENNISON. 

Rev.  Edwin  Jennison,  b.  Walpole,  N.  H.,  1805,  graduated  Dartmouth 
College  1827,  was  minister  at  Walpole  from  1831  to  1835.  He  was  min- 
ister in  Mont  Vernon  from  1836  until  1841.  After  a  voyage  to  Europe 
he  settled  in  Ashburnham,  Mass.,  and  was  from  1847  to  1849  at  Hopkin- 
ton,  N.  H.  His  frequent  ill-health  compelled  his  retirement  from  pastoral 
service.  He  located  as  a  farmer  in  Alstead,  N.  H.,  supplying  for  a  time 
one  of  the  churches  in  that  town,  and  from  1852  to  1854  the  church  in  the 
adjoining  town  of  Langdon,  N.  H.  He  d.  in  Conway,  Mass.,  Dec.  5,  1887, 
age  82.  He  m.  Miss  Mary  B.  Shannon  of  Saco,  Me.,  had  ch.  She  d. 
Nov.  22,  1885,  age  75  years. 

JOHNSON. 

Sardis  Johnson,  b.  Jaffrey,  N.  H.,  moved  here  from  Jaffrey,  N.  H., 
and  lived  many  years  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  George  C.  Hadley, 
where  he  d.  April  22,  1865,  age  69.  His  wife,  Charlotte  (Goodrich)  John- 
son, d.  Aug.  13,  1852,  age  62.  Their  adopted  dau.,  Sophia  Goodrich,  b. 
Bedford,  Mass.,  m.  Samuel  Daland,  lived  on  her  father's  farm  moved  to 
Milford  where  he  d.  Sept.  17,  1887,  age  76.  She  d.  Milford,  May  13, 
1899,  aged  74. 

Warren  D.  Johnson,  b.  Boston,  March  28,  1843,  d.  Mont  Vernon, 
Sept.  6,  1893.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Fifth  N.  H.  Regt.  in  Civil  War. 
He  came  here  from  Danbury,  N.  H.,  in  1870.  He  was  a  laborer.  He  m. 
Jan.  1,  1870,  Martha  A.  Brown,  b.  Wilmot,  May  30,  1851.  Ch.  b.  Mont 
Vernon. 

1.  George  F.,  b.  February  10,  1872,  m.  March  28,  1895,  Carrie  Avery 
of  Francestown. 

2.  James  William,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  28,  1876,  teamster,  res. 
Mont  Vernon. 

George  T.  Johnson,  son  of  Warren  D.  and  Martha  A.  (Brown)  John- 
son, b.  Springfield,  N.  H.,  Feb.  10,  1872,  m.  (1)  Carrie  Avery  of  Frances- 
town,  who  d.  Nov.  1,  1901,  m.  (2)  1902,  Nellie  Wyman  of  Francestown. 
He  resides  New  Boston,  is  a  laborer.     Ch. 


S6  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.     Carl  Avery,  b.  Francestown,  June  23,  1897. 
;.'.     Carrie  Gladys,  b.  New  Boston,  Oct.  26,  1901. 

JONES. 

Nathan  Jones  and  Elizabeth  Coburn  were  m.  in  Dracut,  Mass.,  in 
October,  1743,  moved  to  the  farm  southeast  of  Mont  Vernon  village  (  now 
owned  by  Sanborn  P.  Worthen)  in  17G0,  where  he  d.  Sept.  2,  1799.  She 
was  a  dan.  of  Josiah  and  Sarah  Coburn  and  was  b.  June  24,  1724.  They 
had  ten  ch.,  of  whom  eight  reached  adult  age : 

1.  Elizabeth,  1).  Feb.  10,  1744,  m.  Matthew  Parker  of  Litchfield  June 
1763.  They  were  the  grandparents  of  the  late  Hon.  James  U.  and  Nathan 
Parker  of  Manchester. 

2.  Thomas,  b.    March   20,    1746. 

3.  *Nathan,  b.   Feb.   25,  1748. 

4.  Rachel,  b.  Sept.  25,  1750,  in.  Jan.  2,  1772,  Samuel  Durant  of  Not- 
tingham, West,  now  Hudson;   d.   1786. 

5.  Peter,  b.  March  1,  1753,   d.  young. 

6.  *Timothy,  b.  July  27,   1755. 

7.  Phinehas,  b.  Feb.  16,  1758,  d.  1799,  m.  Sarah  Hildreth,  June  15, 
1784,  had   four  ch.     After  his  death  she  m.  *James  Smith. 

8.  Mary,  b.  April  21,  1760,  m.  Levi  Kimball  of  Landgrove,  Vt. 

9.  *Peter,  b.  June  16,  1762,  in  Mont  Vernon. 

in.     Dolly,  b.  March  21,  1765,  in  Mont  Vernon,  m. Dodge  of 

New  Boston. 

Nathan  Jones,  Jr.,  son  of  Nathan  and  Elizabeth  (Coburn)  Jones,  b. 
Dracut,  b.  Feb.  25,  1748,  d.  in  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  6,  1813,  m.  Esther  But- 
terfield.  They  settled  on  what  was  since  known  as  the  McCollom  place,  in 
the  north  nart  of  Mont  Vernon  (buildings  not  standing  now).  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon  were : 

1.  Betsey,  b.  April  25,  1777,  m.  Feb.  28,  1815,  Nathan  Fuller  of  Am- 
herst, one  dau.     She  d.  Mont  Vernon  Feb.  8,  1829. 

Dorcas,  b.   March  22,  1779,  m.  John  Farrington. 
Dollv,  b.   Oct.  17,  1781,  m.  John  Trow. 

4.  Servian,  b.   Oct.   1,   1783,  m.   *William  Lamson. 

5.  *Nathan,  b.  July  10,  1787. 

6.  Rhoda,  b.  May  21,  1790,  m.  James  Pike,  May  7,  1812. 

Timothy  Jones,  son  of  Nathan  and  Elizabeth  (Coburn)  Jones,  b. 
July  27,  1755,  d.  in  Amherst  in  spring  of  1793,  m.  June  13,  1782,  Elizabeth, 
dau.  of  Daniel  Kendrick,  of  Hollis  settled  on  a  farm  in  the  westerly  part 
of  Amherst  near  Mont  Vernon  line.  After  his  decease  his  widow  m. 
Andrew  Leavitt  of  Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  May,  1818.       Ch. 

1.  John,  m.  and  settled  in  New  Boston,  where  he  d. 

2.  Bowen,  d.  at  sea,  never  m. 

3.  Betsey,  m.  *Edmund  Batchelder  of  Mont  Vernon,  settled  in 
Landgrove,  Vt.,  d.  in  Peru,  Vt.,  July  9,  1869,  age  83  years  three  months. 

4.  Rachel,  m.  Eben  Batchelder*  June  30,  1811,  d.  Amherst,  Jan.  9, 
1S63,  age  76. 

5.  Hannah  insane  many  years,  d.  at  Concord  Insane  Asylum  Aug. 
12,  1847,  age  55. 

6.  Timothv  Tones,  Jr.,  b.  July  28,  1793,  d.  June  24,  1882,  m.  (1) 
Sophia,  dau.  of  Reuben  Stearns,  Dec.  18,  1821.  She  d.  July  7,  1830, 
age  26.  He  m.  (2)  Hannah,  dau.  Alexander  Carr,  lived  in  Amherst,  four 
ch.  bv  first  wife. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  87 

Peter  Jones,  son  of  Nathan  and  Elizabeth  (Coburn)  Jones,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Sept.  9,  1762,  d.  Amherst,  Oct.  11,  1842  m.  Betsey  Woodbury, 
dau.  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Dodge)  Ray  Woodbury,  June  5,  1787.  She 
was  an  aunt  of  Julge  Levi  Woodbury  and  was  b.  Feb.  9,  1770,  d.  April  3, 
1843.  They  settled  on  the  frm  occupied  by  his  father,  but  removed 
thence  to  Amherst  in  1825.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon : 

1.  Mahala,  b.  178S,  m.  Feb.,  1809,  *Mark  D.  Perkins.  She  d.  June 
24,   1843. 

2.  *Levi,  b.  Jan.  9,  1790. 

3.  Hannah,  b.  Nov.  20,  1793,  m.  December  1,  1814,  *Capt.  William 
Bruce,  d.   Tuly  18,  1870. 

4.  Peter  W.,  b.  June  19,  1793,  d.  June  4,  1797. 

Nathan  Jones,  3rd.,  son  of  Nathan,  Jr.,  and  Esther  (Butterfield) 
Jones,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  10,  1787  d.  1820,  m.  Sarah  Bancroft.  After 
his  death  she  removed  to  Belleville,  Canada,  West,  and  d.  there  1876, 
age  87.  Her  remains  were  brought  to  Mont  Vernon  and  buried  near  those 
of  her  husband.     Ch.  were  : 

1.  Nathan,  4th,  lived  in  Belleville,  Can.,  d.  Ontario,  April  22,  1892, 
age   47. 

2.  Timothy. 

3.  Adams. 

4.  Sarah,  m.  John  D.  Nutter,  resided  Montreal. 

Col.  Levi  Jones,  son  of  Peter  and  Betsey  (Woodbury)  Jones,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  9,  1790,  d.  Amherst,  Oct.  11,  1858,  m.  Sophia,  dau.  of 
Thomas  Gilmore,  June  11,  1815.  She  was  a  great-granddaughter  of  Rev. 
Daniel  Wilkins  of  Amherst,  and  a  cousin  of  Gen.  John  Adams  Dix  of  New 
York.  She  was  b.  Jan.  27,  1796,  d.  April  13,  1875.  They  settled  on  the 
Jones  homestead  in  Mont  Vernon,  but  removed  to  Amherst  in  1825. 
First  four  ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Peter  Woodburv,  b.  March  30,  1817,  m.  Cynthia  Marland  Nov. 
14,  1841.  She  d.  Sept.  20,  1870,  age  50.  No  ch.  He  d.  Amherst,  Dec.  6, 
1886,  age  69. 

2.  Nancy  R.,  b.  February  2,  1819,  d.  Aug.,  1826. 

3.  Mary  L.,  b.  June  13,  1821,  m.  Elbridge  F.  Perkins.  Jan.  31,  1854. 
d.  Wilton. 

4.  Abby  D.,  b.  April  29,  1823,  m.  James  H.  Parmalee  of  New  York, 
Jan.,  1848,  d.  Manchester.  Jan.  24,  1881. 

5.  George  W.,  b.  Feb.  2,  1825,  was  one  of  the  city  officers  in  Lowell, 
Mass.,  d.  unm.  in  Amherst,  Sept.  7,  1851. 

6.  Thomas',  b.  Feb.  3,  1827,  lived  in  Amherst,  d.  there  unm.  Feb.  15, 
1900;   farmer. 

7.  Nancy  R.,  b.  Jan.  18,  1829,  d.  Lowell,  April  20,  1843. 

8.  Charles  F.,  b.  March  12,  1831,  d.  Oct.  10,  1840. 

9.  Harriet  N.,  b.  Jan.  15,  1833,  m.  Dr.  William  E.  Rogers  of  West- 
boro,  Mass.,  March  4,  1861.     2  ch. 

10.  Jane  M.  W.,  b.  April  3,  1835,  m.  Oct.  14,  1856,  David  R.  Brant  of 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

11.  Amelia  Frances,  b.  May  3,  1837,  d.  Oct.  10,  1840. 

12.  Daniel  G.,  b.  Aug.  3,  1839,  d.  Aug.,  1S40. 

George  Jones,   son   of  .  b.   New  Boston,   m.   1831,   Sarah,   dau. 

of  Samuel  and  Deborah    (Atwood)    Battles.     He  d.    1857.  age  55.     After 


88  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

his  death  his  widow  lived  in  Mont  Vernon,  d.  Jan.  2,  1894,  age  80  years. 
Ch.  b.  New  Boston : 

1.  *Solomon,  b.  March  15,  1836. 

2.  Servilla,  murdered  at  16  yrs.  of  age,  1857. 

3.  *Plumer. 

4.  Sarah  J.,  d.  in  infancy. 

5.  Eliza  J.,  d.  in  infancy. 

6.  Rebecca,  b.  1849,  m.  *Woodbury  Averill.     She  d.  March  23,  1885. 

7.  Elnora,  b.  March  22,  1851,  m.  1871,  Alonzo  Winn  of  Antrim,  res. 
Mont  Vernon. 

8.  George  Frank,  b.  July  4,  1854,  m.  April  3,  1889,  Marianna,  dau. 
Rufus  Harwood  of  Lowell.     She  d.  Oct.  29,  1895  age  44  yrs. 

Bradley  Jones,  b.  New  Boston,  Aug.  20,  1815,  lived  on  the  farm  in 
East  Dist.  after  his  m.  He  built  the  house.  Farm  was  Lnown  as  the 
"Bradley  Jones  place."  He  was  a  carpenter.  He  d.  Oct.  12,  1885,  age 
70  yrs.  M.  Mary  W.,  dau.  Daniel  and  Deborah  (Battles)  Kendall,  March 
7,  1843.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  30,  1820,  d.  May  18,  1882.  Ch. 
b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Emma  Jane,  b.  March  1,  1848,  m.  Feb.  4,  1879,  George  H.  Board- 
man  of  Lowell,  res.  Lowell,  one  ch.,  Blanche  G.,  b.  July  11,  1881. 

2.  Albert  P.,  b.  Aug.  31,  1851,  d.  Aug.  10,  1880. 

Plumer  Jones,  son  of  George  and  .Sarah  (Battles)  Jones,  b.  New 
Boston,  m.  Nancy  M.,  dau.  of  Trask  W.  and  Hannah  W.  (Perkins)  Aver- 
ill.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Ma-  21,  1838,  d.  Nov.  16,  1876,  lived  in 
house  in  East  Dist.,  now  burnt,  on  left-hand  side,  between  James  Brown's 
mill  and  Stiles  place.  His  widow,  after  his  death,  m.  his  brother,  Sol- 
omon Jones.     Ch. 

1.  Edwin  Augustus,  b.  March  2,  1862,  lived  in  Francestown,  now 
res.  Goffstown. 

Solomon  Jones,  son  of  George  and  Sarah  (Battles)  Jones,  b.  New 
Boston,  March  15,  1836,  lived  in  smaller  house  on  the  best  farm  in  East 
District,  moved  to  Lowell,  where  he  now  res.,  was  a  farmer,  hunter  and 
laborer.  M.  (1)  his  brother's,  Plumer  Jones,  widow,  Na.ncy  M.,  dau. 
Trask  W.  and  Hannah  W.  (Perkins)  Averill.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon, 
May  21,  1838,  d.  Nov.  16,  1876.  He  m.  (2)  July  7,  1877,  Martha  Cook,  by 
whom  he  has  ch.      Ch.  by  first  wife  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Annie  Elletta,  b.  Sept.  10,  1867,  m.  Oct.  18,  1885,  Frank  Smith, 
son  of  Daniel  H.  and  Mary  J.  (Holt)  Smith,  of  Mont  Vernon,  res.  Mont 
Vernon,  two  ch. 

2.  Samuel  Prescott,  b.  Jan.  3,  1870. 

3.  Frank  Eugene,  b.  April  30,  1874,  d.  Sept.  17,  1878. 

KEELER. 

Rev.  Seth  H.  Keeler,  graduate  Middlebury  College,  Middlebury,  Vt, 
was  pastor  at  Windsor,  Vt.,  So.  Berwick,  Me.,  and  for  many  years  at  Calais, 
Me.  From  1867  to  1875  he  was  settled  at  Mont  Vernon.  Removed  to 
Somerville,  Mass.,  in  1875,  where  he  d.  Sept.  26,  1886,  aged  86  years.  He 
m.  a  dau.  of  Peter  Felt,  of  New  Ipswich,  where  he  taught  in  the  Acad- 
emy, prior  to  his  settlement  as  a  minister.  They  had  three  ch.,  one  son 
and  two  dau. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  89 

KENDALL. 

Capt.  Thaddeus  Kendall,  son  of  Nathan  and  Rebecca  (Colburn)  Ken- 
dall, b.  Amherst,  Aug.  2,  1772,  m.  (1)  Catharine,  dau.  of  Robert  Fletcher, 
Esq.,  Sept.  25,  1800.  She  d.  April  27,  1801,  age  22.  m  (2)  Abigail,  dau. 
Dea.  Samuel  and  Abigail  (Farwell)  Wilkins,  of  Amherst,  Nov.  13,  1808. 
She  was  b.  April  30,  1773,  :n  Amherst,  d.  Moble,  Ala.,  Sept.  27,  1853. 
He  settled  in  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  was  a  merchant  several  years. 
While  here  he  was  interested  in  the  militia  and  under  his  leadership  and 
instruction  the  North  West  Parish  (or  Mont  Vernon)  Company  became 
one  of  the  best  in  the  old  Fifth  Regt.  Leaving  Mont  Vernon  he  settled 
in  Vergennes,  Vt.     He  d.  in  Burlington,  Vt.,  in  1843.     Their  ch.  were: 

1.  *George  Wilkins,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  22,  1809. 

2.  Thaddeus  Richmond,  b.  Mont  Vernon.  He  m.  Amanda  Hutchins 
of  Alabama,  had  several  ch.,  two  of  whom  are  now  living.  He  was  a 
lawyer  in  Moble,  Ala.,  also  engaged  in  mercantile  business  there.  He  re- 
moved to  Concord,  N.  H.,  thence  to  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  where  he  d. 
Sept.  19,  1882. 

3.  Catherine,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  m.  William  Rix  in  1837.  They  had 
several  ch.,  only  two  now  living — two  dau.  (married)  live  near  her  in 
Royalton,  Vt.  She  lived  in  Mobile,  Ala.,  until  the  war  of  1860  broke  out, 
when  she  moved  to  Vermont.     Mr.  R.  is  dead. 

George  Wilkins  Kendall,  son  of  Capt.  Thaddeus  and  Abigail  (Wil- 
kins) Kendall,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  22,  1809,  d.  en  his  ranch,  "Post  Oak 
Springs,"  near  Boerne  Kendall  Co.,  Texas,  Oct.  21,  1867.  He  learned 
the  printer's  trade  while  still  a  boy,  which  was  a  means  for  making  a  liveli- 
hood. From  the  age  of  14  he  earned  his  own  living,  pushing  out  far  from 
civilization,  seeking  adventure  and  fortune.  In  1837  he  founded  the 
New  Orleans  Picayune,  a  small,  bright  newsy  sheet,  that  to  this  day  exists 
and  that  for  years  was  a  power  in  the  South  and  in  all  of  its  existence 
only  suspended  for  a  short  time  during  the  war  of  1860-1865.  The  paper 
only  passed  out  of  the  hands  of  the  family  after  his  death,  when  his 
share  was  purchased  by  a  partner,  whose  heirs  still  have  possession.  He 
served  in  the  Mexican  War  with  great  credit.  He  was  a  member  of  Gen. 
Edmund  Worth's  staff.  After  the  end  of  the  Mexican  War  he  traveled 
extensively  in  Europe.  During  his  travels  he  married  his  wife,  Adeline 
de  Valcourt,  a  French  lady,  and  for  several  years  they  lived  in  Paris, 
France.  He  came  back  to  America  in  December,  1855.  From  that  time 
until  1860  the  winters  were  spent  in  New  Orleans  and  the  summers  on  a 
ranch  in  Texas,  where  he  engaged  in  raising  fine  sheep,  many  of  which 
were  imported  from  France.  During  the  War  of  1860  he  remained  on 
the  Texas  ranch,  taking  but  little  part  in  the  conflict,  the  scarcity  of  men 
making  it  difficult  to  handle  his  large  flocks  of  sheep,  causing  the  Indians 
to  grow  very  bold  and  for  years  making  it  dangerous  to  go  about  alone  or 
unarmed. 

After  the  war  he  spent  the  winters  again  in  New  Orleans,  the  paper 
showing  to  a  marked  degree  the  interesting  articles,  editorials  and  letters 
from  his  most  versatile  pen.  In  1866  he  made  a  flying  trip  to  his  old 
home  in  New  Hampshire,  visited  many  of  the  old-home  scenes,  and  also 
spent  a  couple  of  months  in  Europe. 

During  the  years  he  spent  on  the  ranch  he  busied  himself  writing  a 
History  of  the  Mexican  War  and  completed  it  but  a  few  weeks  prior  to 
his  death,  which  occurred  after  a  short  illness  on  Oct.  21,  1867,  (the 
manuscript  of  said  history  is  still  in  the  hands  of  his  heirs). 


-jo  HISTORY  OF  MONT   VERNON. 

George  W.  Kendall  was  a  man  of  very  strong  character,  a  man  that 
stood  six  feet,  with  regular  features  and  a  most  affable  manner.  He  had 
a  keen  sense  of  humor  and  had,  perhaps,  the  widest  range  of  friends  of 
any  man  in  his  community  or  indeed  wherever  he  might  find  himself.  He 
was  enthusiastically  fond  of  Texas  and  never  tired  extolling  its  oppor- 
tunities, climate,  etc.,  and  was  buried  in  the  little  cemetery  in  the  town  or 
village  of  Boerne,  in  Kendall  Co.,  (named  after  him)  in  Texas,  the  state 
of  his  adoption.  The  printers  from  his  paper  erected  to  his  memory  a 
marble  monument  upon  which  are  inscribed  the  following  words:  "He 
was  a  poet,  journalist,  author,  and  farmer,  eminent  in  all." 

Ch.  b.  France : 

1.  Georgina,  b.  1S51,  m.  a  lawver,  Eugene  J.  Fellowes  (a  native  of 
New  Orleans),  son  of  Thomas  and  Irene  (Panavar)  Fellowes,  Dec.  15, 
1ST:;,  at  Binghamton,  N.  Y.  Lived  in  Chicago,  111.  Now  resides  Spokane, 
Wash.  She  is  a  highly  educated  woman,  speaking  several  European 
languages.  One  son,  Kendall  Fellowes,  b.  Chicago,  Oct.  14,  1879,  served 
in  Spanish-American  War,  is  now  engaged  in  insurance  business  in  San 
Francisco,  Cal. 

2.  George  Williams,  b.   1853,  d.   1878,  unm. 

:;.     Caroline  Louise,  b.   1854,  d.  Texas,  July  4,  1898,  unm. 

4.  Henry  Fletcher,  b.  1855,  m.  1880,  Mary  A.  Jordan,  dau.  W.  H. 
(retired  colonel  21st.  Inf.,  U.  S.  A.,)  and  Man'  Adiar,  his  wife,  two  ch. 
He  graduated  from  West  Point  in  1878.  He  was  promoted  a  major  and 
assigned  to  the  12th  cavalry.  He  served  in  the  Spanish-American  War, 
and  is  now  stationed  at  Ft.  Clark,  Texas. 

Dea.  Jacob  Kendall,  b.  Litchfield,  1758,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  June  3,  1823, 
m.  June  25,  1782,  Sarah,  dau.  of  Jonathan  and  Mehitable  (Holt)  Lamson, 
of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  March  20,  1761,  d.  Aug.  10,  1847.  They  removed 
from  Litchfield  to  Mont  Vernon  about  1783  and  lived  on  the  farm  in  the 
East  District,  now  occupied  by  Walter  Bohonan.     Ch.  were : 

1.  *Amos,  b.  1792,  lived  and  d.  in  New  Boston,  Jan.  12,  1859. 
These  ch.  b.  Mont  Veronn  : 

2.  Sarah,  b.  Jan.  17,  1784,  m.  (1)  Aug.  20,  1804,  Simeon  Flint  of 
Mont  Vernon,  m.  (2)  Sept.  16,  1824,  Aaron  Wilkins  of  Amherst,  d.  Sept. 
14,  1861. 

3.  *Jacob,  b.  April  15,  1785,  lived  for  a  time  on  the  farm  now  owned 
by  Daniel  Richardson,  had  two  dau.,  removed  to  Nashua  and  d.  there. 

4.  Elizabeth,  b.  Aug.  11,  1788. 

5.  *Jonathan,  b.   Aug.   11,   1791. 

6.  *Josiah,  b.  Jan.  21,  1797,  m.  Polly  Lovett,  of  Amherst. 

Amos  Kendall,  son  of  Dea.  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Lamson)  Kendall,  b. 
1782,  m.  an  Adams  of  Londonderry,  lived  in  Mont  Vernon  and  New  Bos- 
ton, where  he  d.  Jan.   12,  1859.     Ch. 

1.  Delilah. 

2.  Sarah. 

3.  David. 

Jacob  Kendall,  son  of  Dea.  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Lamson)  Kendall,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  April  15,  1785,  m.  Ursula  Jacquith,  lived  some  years  on 
the  old  Dr.  Kittredgc  farm,  now  occupied  by  Daniel  Richardson,  moved  to 
Nashua,  where  they  both  d.     She  d.  1873,  age  82.     He  d.  1855.     Ch.  were: 

1.     Louisa,   lives   Nashua,   unm. 

?..     Mary  Ann.  m.  a  Tyler,  lived  in  Wilton 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  91 

Jonathan  Kendall,  son  of  Dca.  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Lamson)  Kendall,  b. 
Mont  Vernon.  Aug.  11,  1791.  m.  Dec.  7,  1815  Phebe  dau.  of  Nathan  and 
Phebe  (Smith)  Flint,  of  Amherst.  He  lived  on  his  father's  farm  in  the 
East  District.  He  d.  Oct.  24,  1859.  She  d.  May  11,  1881,  at  Concord. 
Ch.  1).   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Eliza,  m.  Benjamin  Dodge  of  New  Boston. 

2.  Harriet,  in.  William  Coffin  of  Concord. 

3.  Marian,  m.  Dr.  William  P.  Gambell  of  Boston,  d.  at  Simeon  F. 
Kendall's. 

4.  *Simeon  Flint,  b.   May  29,  1829. 

5.  Charles  A.,  m.  Mary  Hutchinson  of  Concord,  lived  Concord,  one 
dau.,  Anna  May. 

Josiah  Kendall,  son  of  Dea.  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Lamson)  Kendall,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  21,  1797,  m.  Polly  Lovett  of  Amherst.  After  rearing  a 
family  in  Mont  Vernon  he  moved  to  Antrim,  lived  there  some  years, 
moved  to  Tamworth,  where  he  and  his  wife  d.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Elizabeth,   d.  young. 

2.  Stephen  Chapin,  moved  to  Antrim  in  1849  and  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  doors,  m.  Alfreda  Jackson  of  Tamworth,  lives  in  Fitch- 
burg,  Mass. 

3.  Adoniram  J.,  went  to  Antrim,  m.  1857,  Amanda  Abbott,  went  to 
Nashua  in  1857,  then  to  Manchester,  where  he  and  his  wife  d.,  leaving  a 
son,  Frank  E. 

4.  John  L.,  worked  :ome  years  for  Rev.  D.  J.  G.  Davis  in  Amherst, 
moved  to  Antrim,  m.  1851,  Christiana  Lovejoy,  enlisted  in  the  army  from 
Antrim,  and  was  lost  overboard  on  the  Potomac.  Wife  and  ch.  are  all 
dead. 

Simeon  Flint  Kendall,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Phebe  (Flint)  Kendall, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  29,  1829,  m.  Sept.  20  1849  Mary  C.  Clark  of  Derry, 
b.  July  24,  1828.  He  lived  on  the  homestead,  lived  in  Pennsylvania  sev- 
eral years  served  in  the  war  for  the  Union,  and  was  wounded,  returned 
to  the  farm  in  Mont  Vernon,  moved  to  Milford,  where  he  d.  Oct.  17, 
1895.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Frank  Elmon,  b.  Aug.  10,  1850,  m.  Sarah  Armstrong  of  Amherst, 
lives  in  Milford,  is  of  firm  of  Ordway  &  Kendall,  proprietors  Livery 
Stable. 

2.  Charles  Edney,  b.  Nov.  20,  1853,  m.  Alice  K.  Dodge  of  Antrim, 
four  ch.,  lives  Milford,  is  of  firm  Kendall  &  Wilkins  grocers  and  grain 
merchants. 

3.  Edgar  Irving,  b.  April  15,  1858,  m.  Miss  Susan  H.  Kimball  of 
Milford,  Sept.  23,  1896,  resides  Milford  is  a  lawyer,  has  one  ch. 

Daniel  Kendall  brother  of  Dea.  Jacob  Kendall,  b.  Litchfield,  Jan.  18, 
1760,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  17,  1830.  m.  Sarah  dau.  Joseph  and  Patience 
(Bradford)  Lovejoy.  She  was  b.  May  6,  1762,  d.  Aug.  14,  1847.  He 
settled  in  1785  on  the  farm  owned  afterwards  by  his  son,  Daniel,  grand- 
son, D.  Porter  K.,  and  lately  owned  by  his  great-grandson,  W.  H.  Ken- 
dall, in  East  Dist.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *Daniel,  b.  Oct.  26,  1789. 

2.  Mary,  b.  June  3,  1792,  d.   Nov.  3,   1813. 

3.  Sarah,  b.  Julv  26,  1794,  m.  *John  Battles,  d.  March  6,  1858. 

4.  Nathan,  b.   1796.  d.   Aug.,  1798. 

5.  Alice,  b.  Aug.  1.  1800,  m.  *Reuben  K.  Batchclder,  d.  June  26,  1846. 


92  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

6.  Zaccheus  Nathan,  b.  June  2,  1803,  d.  Johnson,  Vt.,  March  29,  1888. 

7.  *Ira,  b.  Jan.  9,  1805,  d.   March  20,  1863. 

Daniel  Kendall,  son  of  Daniel  and  Sarah  (Lovejoy)  Kendall,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Oct.  26,  1789,  lived  on  his  father's  farm,  d.  Aug.  31,  1870, 
m.  Dec.  31  1818,  Deborah,  dan.  Samuel  and  Deborah  (Atwood)  Battles,  of 
Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  April  24,  1871.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mary  W.,  b.  April  30,  1820,  m.  *Bradley  Jones  of  Mont  Vernon. 
March  7,  1843.     Two  ch.     D.  May  18,  1882. 

Twins : — 

2.  *Daniel  Porter,  b.  Jan.  3,  1823. 

3.  Deborah  J.,  b.  Jan.  3.  1823,  m.  Alvin  Chase  of  Milford,  Oct.  18, 
1855.  He  d.  Aug.  1863.  She  d.  E.  Jaffrey,  March  25,  1891.  One  dau.. 
Jennie,  b.  Milford,  May  26,  1857,  m.  June  28,  1882,  at  Mont  Vernon 
Wm.  Jacquith ;  has  four  boys ;  lives  E.  Jaffrey,  N.  H. 

Ira  Kendall,  son  of  Daniel  and  Sarah  (Lovejoy)  Kendall,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Jan.  9,  1805,  lived  on  the  farm  with  his  brother,  Daniel,  d.  March 
20,  1863,  m.  May  10,  1832,  Cyrene,  dau.  of  Capt.  John  and  Betsey  (Batch- 
elder)  Batchelder.  She  was  b.  Oct.  17,  1803,  in  Mont  Vernon,  d.  Goffs- 
town,  Dec.  16,  1872.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Emmeline,  b.  January  26,  1834,  lives  Goffstown,  unm. 

2.  Cyrene  Elizabeth,  b.  Jan.  14,  1836,  lives  Goffstown,  unm. 

3.  Ira  Kendrick,  b.  Jan.  26,  1838,  m.  M^rch  29,  1864,  Rebecca  Warren 
of  Goffstown,  N.  H.,  is  a  wealthy  and  prominent  furniture  manufacturer 
of  Goffstown ;  has  represented  the  town.     Ch.  b.  Goffstown. 

1.  Frank  Warren,  b.  October  16,  1866. 

2.  Annie  May,  b.  Jan.  14,  1869. 

3.  Lewis  B.,  b.   May  25,  1877. 

4.  Nathan  Franklin,  b.  Dec.  22,  1840,  enlisted  Co.  C,  16th  N.  H.  Regt. 
Vol.,  d.  Aug.  15,  1863. 

Daniel  Porter  Kendall,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  3,  1823,  settled  on  his 
father's  farm,  was  representative  in  1876,  1877,  d.  Aug.  27,  1891,  m.  May 
30,  1850,  Susan,  dau.  Thomas  and  Nancy  (Stevens)  Cloutman.  She  was 
b.  March  13,  1823,  d.  Jan.  8,  1897.       Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Andrew  P.,  d.  Sept.  23,  1854,  age  3  yrs.  4  mos. 

2.  Esther  Cloutman,  b.  December  13,  1856,  m.  Sept.  26,  1882,  Alonzo 
M.  Carleton,  has  several  ch.,  lives  Goffstown. 

3.  William  Henry,  b.  June  10,  1859,  m.  June  19,  1901,  Clara  H. 
Blood  of  Wilton,  is  a  lumber  dealer  and  resides  in  Mont  Vernon  Village ; 
is  also  deacon  of  the  church. 

4.  Andrew  P.,  b.  June  11,  1861,  d.  Aug.  25,  1876. 

5.  M.  Susie,  b.  Feb.  3,  1867,  m.  April  26,  1898,  Arthur  Temple,  resides 
Mont  Vernon. 

Asa  Kendall,  b.  Leominster,  Mass.,  June  10,  1778,  m.  Oct.  15,  1807, 
Lydia  Adams  of  Townsend,  b.  Oct.  15,  1784,  and  sister  of  Dr.  Daniel 
and  Dea.  J.  S.  Adams  of  Mont  Vernon.  Asa  Kendall  learned  the  sad- 
dler's trade  off  Ephraim  Eager  in  his  native  town,  and  in  1799  succeeded 
his  master  in  the  business,  which  he  carried  on  successfully  until  1814, 
when  he  sold  out,  removed  to  Mont  Vernon,  and  built  the  store,  which  is 
now  part  of  the  "Mont  Vernon  House,"  where  he  traded  twenty  years. 
In  1850  he  removed  to  East  Concord  and  resided  in  the  family  of  his 


WILLIAM  H.  KENDALL. 
Deacon  from  1891   (still  serving,  1905). 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  93 

son,  Henry  A.,  where  he  d.  Dec.  13,  1863.    His  wife  d.  March  9,  1873,  aged 
88.     Both   were   interred   in   Mont  Vernon.      Ch.   b.   Leominster. 

1.  Augusta,  b.  June  26,  1808,  m.  May  31,  1837,  George  E.  Dean,  d. 
June  10,  1855. 

2.  Henry  Adams,  b.  Aug.  6,  1810,  d.  at  Concord,  March  27,  1894; 
fitted  for  college  at  Kimball  Union  Academy,  was  ordained  pastor  of  a 
Trinitarian  Church  at  Dublin,  N.  H.,  June  2,  1840,  m.  May  27,  1844,  Har- 
riet G.  Appleton  of  Dublin,  N.  H.     Ch.  b.  Dublin. 

1.  *Henry   Appleton,  b.   March  29,   1845. 

2.  Samuel  Adams,  b.  Dec.  27,  1846. 

3.  Sarah  Harriet,  b.  East  Concord,  May  17,   1851. 

Mary  Ann  Kendall,  dau.  Franklin  Kendall,  a  sea  captain,  brother  Asa 
Kendall,  was  b.  Dec.  22,  1828.  She  was  reared  in  family  of  Asa  Kendall 
from  seven  years  until  her  m.,  Aug.  8,  1848,  to  Wm.  B.  Richardson  of 
Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  Newtonville,  Mass.,  April  11,  1900. 

Henry  Appleton  Kendall,  b.  Dublin,  March  29,  1845,  fitted  for  college 
at  Henniker  Academy,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1866,  m.  June 
21,  1870,  Frances  L.,  dau.  of  Dea.  William  and  Hannah  (Fornis)  Conant. 
She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  1,  1844,  d.  April  S,  1901.  He  lives  in 
Somerville.  Mass.       Ch.  b.  Somerville. 

1.  Gertrude  Greenwood,  b.  Oct.  27,  1871. 

2.  Franklin  Conant,  b.  April  29,  1873. 

3.  Marian  Colby,  b.  April  5,  1879. 

4.  Marcella  Fornis,  b.  December  18,  1882. 

Mrs.  Persis  Kendall,  mother  of  Asa  Kendall,  d.  Nov.  15,  1829,  aged  75. 
KIDDER. 

Thomas  Karr  Kidder,  son  of  Ephraim  and  Betsey  (Boffee)  Kidder, 
born  Lyndeborough,  June  9,  1817.  Was  a  farmer.  Resided  here  in  the 
forties  and  fifties  in  Centre  and  South  District.  He  moved  to  Milford, 
where  he  d  Dec.  21,  1894.  He  m.  Sept.,  1839,  Olive,  dau.  James  and 
Azubah  (Curtis)  Hopkins,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  15,  1819,  d.  Milford, 
June  16,  1894.     Ch.  ,      ., 

1  Hattie  Frances,  b.  Milford,  Dec.  22,  1841,  m.  April  16,  1863, 
Charles  E.,  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Susan    (Duncklee)    Stone,  res.   Milford. 

2.  Newell  Porter,  b.  Lyndeborough,  Sept.  18,  1843,  is  a  cooper  and 
res.  in  Long  Lake,  Minn.  ,     ..   <Mf    »     . 

3  Abbie  Jane,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  12,  1846,  m.  April,  1865,  Charles 
G.  Burns  of  Milford,  d.  Jan.  20,  1866. 

4  Mary  Ann,  b.  Milford,  June  6,  1848,  d.  Milford,  March  25,  1868. 

5.  Eliza  Ella,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  7,  1851,  m.  April,  1871,  Lorenzo 
Cutter,  of  Milford,  and  res.  in  Webster,  Mass.  .         ,  , 

6.  Charles,  b.  in  Lyndeborough,  Sept.  6,  1856,  is  a  laborer,  res.  in 
Brookline. 

William  L.   Kidder,  b.   Billerica,   Mass,   April  13,   1775    m.   Nov.   IS, 
1798,  Nabby  Jenkins  of  Andover,  settled  in  Mont  Vernon.     Ch. 
1.     William  Lambert,  b.  July  4,  1800. 

2  Nancy,  m    1834,  Amos  Batchelder,  d.  in  Goffstown.  _ 
3^     Mahala,  m.    (1)    Partridge;   m.    (2)    Ambrose  Smith,   1833,   d.  in 

Goffstown. 


94  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

4.  Francis,  in.  Susan  Richardson,  Aug.  19,  1830,  d.  Aug.  19,  1830, 
in    Mont    Vernon. 

5.  Charles,  m.  Gowing,  lived  in  North  Reading,  Mass. 

William  Lambert  Kidder,  Jr.,  b.  July  4,  1800,  d.  in  Amherst,  Sept.  29, 
1860,  m.  Mary  Jane,  dau.  Parker  Richardson  of  Mont  Vernon,  April  19, 
1806,  d.  Amherst,  August  27,  1880.  He  lived  in  Mont  Vernon  several 
years.     Ch. 

1.  Ann  Mary,  b.  April  28,  1827,  m.  June  14,  1857,  Joseph  F.  Johnson, 
who  d.  Ship  Island,  May  27,  1862,  was  in  the  8th  N.  H.  Regt.. 

2.  Mary  Jane,  b.  March  10,  183G,  d.  April  9,  1836. 

3.  William  Henry,  b.  June  22,  1837,  m.  Abby  Burse  of  Shupkigh, 
Me.,  Nov.  26,  1868,  machinst ;  res.  Great  Falls. 

4.  Andrew  Jackson,  b.  May  23,  1840,  m.  Katy  Greenleaf;  farmer, 
res.    in   Hudson. 

5.  Emma  Caroline,  b.  August  31,  1842,  m.  (1)  W.  H.  Smith,  Aug. 
24,  1860;  m.   (2)  Reilly;  m.   (3)   Eli  A.  Sawtelle;  res.  Amherst. 

6.  Alfred,  1).  April  22,  1847,  d.  at  Providence,  R.  L,  unm.  Aug.  17, 
1875. 

John  Kidder,  b.  Hudson,  N.  H.,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  from  Milford, 
m.  Eliza  Wilkins  of  Antrim.  He  removed  to  Nashua,  thence  to  Sacra- 
mento, Cal.,  where  he  d. 

KIMBALL. 

Porter  Kimball  came  from  Mass.,  kept  tavern  in  village  several  years, 
was  representative  in  1836,  was  postmaster  1823,  moved  to  Lowell,  m.  (1) 
Mary,  dau.  Jonathan  and  Mary  Davis  of  Westford,  Mass.  She  d.  Feb. 
26,  1820,  aged  37  years.  He  m.  (2)  Fanny,  dau.  Dr.  Zephaniah  and  Eliz- 
abeth (Stickney)  Kittredge.  She  d.  Sept.  16,  1821,  age  22  yrs.  Ch.  by 
first  wife  buried  Mont  Vernon. 

1.     Son,  d.   Sept.  22,  1812. 


3.  Jonathan,  d.  Dec.   12,   1815,  aged  9  days. 

4.  Porter,  d.  Feb.  16,  1817,  aged  20  days. 

5.  Porter,  d.  April  1G,  1818,  aged  9  weeks,  3   days. 

6.  John,  d.  June  20,  1819,  aged  4  months. 

KINGSBURY. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  Kingsbury  was  ordained  pastor  here  Nov.  8,  1823,  was 
dismissed  April  6,  1836.  He  was  b.  in  Coventry,  Conn.,  was  a  graduate  of 
Amherst  College.  He  removed  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  d.  at  Prairieville, 
July  12,  1843,  aged  48.  His  ministry  here  was  prosperous,  there  being  two 
great  revivals,  one  in  1828,  the  other  in  1831.  He  m.  a  Miss  Dow  of 
Coventry,  Conn.,  and  had  several  ch.     Ch.  buried  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mary  F.,  d.  June  29,  1833,  aged  4  years. 

2.  Dwight  L.,  d.  July  15,   1833,  aged  8  months. 

3.  Joseph,  d.  April  15,  1834,  aged  8  months. 

KINSON. 

George  Kinson,  son  of  Ebenezer  Kinson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  1, 
1800,  d.  Amherst,  Oct.  2,  1867,  m.  Dec.  5,  1825,  Martha  M.  Walker,  sister 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  95 

George  Walker,  Sr.,  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  New  Ipswich,  Jan.  20, 
1805.  They  settled  in  Amherst  in  1830,  where  he  carried  on  the  black- 
smithing  business,  and  was  widely  known  as  a  skillful  workman.  He  left 
six  ch.  His  sister,  Mary  Kinson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  m.  Feb.  20,  1812, 
Luther,  son  of  Simeon  and  Catherine  (Wyman)  Blanchard  of  Milford, 
d.  Milford,  Feb.  10.  1S53.     Had  nine  ch. 

KITTREDGE. 

The  first  we  learn  of  the  Kittredges  coming  to  this  country  was  in 
1660,  when  Capt.  John  Kittredge  fled  from  England  to  America.  Capt. 
K.  was  in  charge  of  a  ship,  which  plied  from  England  to  some  foreign 
port,  and  being  of  a  surgical  turn  of  mind,  studied  the  medical  receipts 
carefully.  The  tradition  is  that  he  began  experimenting  by  breaking  ani- 
mals' limbs,  then  setting  them,  seeing  how  fast  he  could  get  them  to  heal. 
One  of  his  men  broke  an  arm  and  the  captain  set  it.  Soon  after  this  an- 
other man  broke  a  leg  and  asked  the  captain  to  set  it.  The  captain  said 
he  would  "if  he  would  take  a  room  and  place  himself  entirely 
in  'his  care,"  which  he  did.  He  became  very  successful.  It  be- 
came known  to  the  authorities  and  as  the  laws  were  very  stringent  at 
that  time,  allowing  no  one  to  practice  without  a  medical  diploma,  it  be- 
came necessary  for  him  to  leave  England.  He  came  to  this  country  and 
settled  in  Billerica,  Mass.,  Sept.  25,  1660.  The  name  was  formerly  spelled 
Keteredge.  He  m.  Nov.  25,  1664,  Mary  Littlefield.  He  d.  Oct.  18,  1676. 
He  had  five  ch.,  all  sons. 

Solomon  Kittredge,  fifth  generation  from  Capt.  John  Kittredge  (Capt. 
John,  1;  John,  2;  John,  3;  John,  4;  Solomon,  5)  b.  Billerica,  Mass., 
June  9,  1736,  m.  Tabitha  Ingalls  of  Andover,  May  14,  1755.  They  set- 
tled in  Mont  Vernon  about  1766.  He  d.  Aug.  24,  1792.  She  d.  May  8, 
1794,  age  59  years,  1  month,  14  days.  He  was  a  blacksmith  and  a  promi- 
nent man  in  the  parish.     He  was  in  the  French  and  Indian  War.     Ch. 

1.  *Solomon,  b.  1755,  Aug.  3. 

2.  *Zephaniah,  b.  Aug.  24,  1757. 

3  Tabitha,  b.  July  28,  1758,  m.  Benjamin  Sawyer,  settled  in  Nelson, 
N.  H. 

4.  *Josiah,  b.   July  26,   1761. 

5.  Phebe,  b.  June  5,  1763,  m.  Aaron  Townsend. 

6.  *Stephen,  b.  June  27,  1765. 

7.  Lydia,  b.  Aug.  29,  1767,  in  Mont  Vernon,  m.  Joshua  Kittredge, 
Nov.  29,  1787. 

These  ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

8.  *Ingalls,  b.  Dec.  10,  1769. 

9.  Betsey,  b.  Sept.  16,  1771,  m.  Wheeler  of  Nelson,  d.  Nov. 

9,  1865,  age  94.  She  was  the  mother  of  the  late  Gilman  Wheeler  of 
Milford. 

10.  Peter,  b.  Sept.  25,  1773. 

11.  Asa,  settled  in  Weare  in  1803,  was  a  nhysician,  had  five  dau. 

12.  Sally,  b.  April  19,  1779,  m.  Abial  Stickney  of  Tewksbury,  Mass., 
d.  Aug.  28,  1847. 

Solomon  Kittredge,  son  of  Solomon  and  Tabitha  (Ingalls)  Kittredge, 
b  Tewksbury,  Aug.  3,  1755,  m.  (1)  Anna  Kittredge,  Feb.,  1777,  by  whom 
he  had  eleven  ch.  M.  (2)  Betsey  Holt,  April  13,  1815.  He  came  to 
Mont  Vernon  with  his  parents,  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  d.  Mont 
Vernon,  Oct.  22,  1845,  age  90.      Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 


9r>  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.  Solomon,   b.    Sept.   28,    1778. 

2.  Anna,  b.  March  13,  1780. 

3.  Lucy,   b.  Jan.   25,   1783. 

4.  Thomas,  b.  March  25,  1785. 

5.  *Josiah,  b.   Feb.   26,  1787. 

6.  Jeremiah,  b.  Jan.  26,  1789. 

7.  Harriet,   b.  July  13,   1791. 

8.  Hezekiah,  b.  Jan.  25,  1793. 

9.  *Zephaniah,  b.  April  15,  1795. 

10.     Lucy,  b.  Feb.  8,  1797,  m.  Mr.  Farrar,  April,  1818. 
11     Betsey,  b.  July  15,  1799,  m.  John  Carter,  Aug.,  1818. 

Dr.  Zephaniah  Kittredge,  son  of  Solomon  and  Tabitha  (Ingalls) 
Kittredge,  b.  Billerica,  Mass.,  Aug.  24,  1757,  m.  Elizabeth  Stickney  of 
Tewksbury,  Mass.  She  d.  Mont  Vernon  Aug.  6,  1851,  aged  90.  He  was 
long  and  favorably  known  as  a  skillful  surgeon  and  physician.  During 
his  professional  career  he  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Daniel  Rich- 
ardson.    He  d.  Aug.  17,  1843.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Betsey,  b.   May  18,   1782,  d.  Aug.   5,   1786. 

2.  Abigail  or  Nabby,  b.  March  22,  1784,  m.  June  28,  1804,  *Jesse 
Smith.     She  d.  May  7,  1866. 

3.  *Zephaniah.  b.   Sept.  15,  1785. 

4.  Betsey,  d.  March  5,  1799,  age  11  years. 

5.  Nancy,  b.  1790,  m.  March,  1808,  Uriah  Wilkins,  son  Aaron  and 
Lydia  (Smith)  Wilkins,  d.  Howe,  Vt.,  Jan.  10,  1832. 

6.  Fanny,  m.  Porter  Kimball  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  d.  Sept.  16, 
1821,  age  22  years. 

Josiah  Kittredge,  son  of  Solomon  and  Tabitha (  Ingalls)  Kittredge, 
b.  July  6,  1761,  came  here  with  his  parents,  lived  on  the  old  poor  farm, 
now  owned  by  Edward  Hildreth,  which  he  owned  and  occupied  many 
years,  m.  Oct.  13,  1792,  Mary  Baker.  She  d.  Sept.  16,  1828,  age  66  years, 
3  months,  17  days.     He  d.  May  2:;.  1850.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *Josiah,  b.  Oct.  15,  1793. 

2.  *Timothy,  b.  May  15,  1795. 
?..     Lovey,  b.  Jan.  28,  1797. 

4.  Alvah,  b.  May  15,  1798,  lived  Boston  Highlands,  ch.  George  went 
to  Bombay;  another  son,  Rev.  Abbott  E.  Kittredge,  pastor  Madison  Ave. 
Church,  New  York  City,  had  three  dau. 

5.  Solomon,  b.  March  13,  1801,  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  College, 
was  a  minister ;  settled  in  Indiana. 

6.  Mary,  b.  Dec.  17,  1803,  m.  Sept.  27,  1827,  Rev.  Ephraim  Clark  of 
Peacham,  Vt.  They  went  as  missionaries  to  the  Sandwich  Islands; 
had  ch. 

7.  *Charles  B.,  b.  July  4,  1806,  clergyman  at  Groton  and  Westboro, 
Mass.,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  and  Andover  Theological  Sem. ; 
m.  Miss  Brigham,  d.  Nov.  25,  1884. 

Dr.  Stephen  Kittredge,  son  Solomon  and  Tabitha  (Ingalls)  Kittredge, 
b.  Tewksbury,  Mass.,  June  27,  1765,  m.  Mehitable  Russell,  Nov.  27,  1787. 
On  the  dav  of  marriage  they  went  to  Francestown  to  reside  moved  to 
Hancock,  Oct.,  1790,  where  he  d.  Otc.  6,  1806.  His  widow  m.  (2)  Daniel 
Bickford  in  1811,  and  removed  to  Sedgewick,  Me.  Dr.  K.  was  a  suc- 
cessful physician  and  highly  respected  in  Hancock.  He  had  11  ch.  His 
eldest  dau.  Gratia  m.  Dr.  Peter  Tuttle  his  successor  in  Hancock,  Sept. 
9,  1808. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  or 

Dr.  Ingalls  Kittredge,  son  Solomon  and  Tabitha  (Ingalls)  Kit- 
tredge, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  10,  1769,  studied  medicine  with  his  elder 
brother,  Zephaniah,  first  settled  in  Townsend,  Mass.,  moved  to  Beverly 
in  1804,  m.  (1)  Sarah,  only  dan.  Jonathan  and  Mercy  (Lovett)  Conant. 
She  was  baptized  June  3,  1770.  d.  Beverly,  Oct.  7,  1833.  He  in.  (2)  Lydia 
Smith.  He  d.  at  Beverly.  He  owned  the  farm  and  estate'  for  several 
years  which  he  sold  to  Capt.  Timothy  Kittredge  in  1837,  which  is  now 
owned  by  the  heirs  of  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge  in  South  Dist.  Their  second 
son,  Dr.  Ingalls  Kittredge,  b.  Townsend,  Mass.,  June  30,  1798,  prepared 
for  college  at  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege, 1820,  and  at  Harvard  Medical  College  1823,  settled  in  Beverly,  m. 
Sept.  22,  1824,  Augusta  Smith,  who  d.  Jan.  12,  1874.  lie  d.  at  Beverly, 
Feb.  14,  1867.  "He  was  a  strong  anti-slavery  man  always  ready  with  his 
purse  to  aid  the  cause  as  well  as  to  assist  refugee  slaves.  George  Latimer 
and  Fred  Douglas  ex  slaves,  were  aided  by  him  and  introduced  to  Bev- 
erly audiences.  He  holds  an  eminent  place  in  Beverly's  history."  He 
had  seven  dau.  The  eldest  m.  Charles  W.  Gallottpc  and  had  two  dau. 
Another  m.  Fdward  Leech  Giddings  of  the  hanking  firm  of  Tower,  Gid- 
dings  &  Co.,  Boston. 

Dea.  Josiah  Kittredge,  son  of  Solomon  and  Anna  (Kittredge)  Kit- 
tredge, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  26,  1787.  He  operated  his  uncle,  Dr.  Ingalls 
Kittredge's,  farm  many  years,  m.  (1)  Dec.  24,  1812,  Hannah  Mace.  She 
was  b.  June  15.  1793,  d.  May  0,  1828.  »M.  (2)  Nancy  Cochoran  of  Am- 
herst, Dec.  16,  1828.  She  was  b.  Aug.  16.  1798.  d.  Feb.  19,  1830,  age  31 
years  11  mos.  He  m.  (3)  Sept.  2,  1830,  Relief,  dau.  Capt.  John  and 
Betsey  (Batchelder)  Batcheldcr.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  16. 
1796,  "d.  July  19,  1868.     He  d.  Aug.  7,  1836,  aged  49.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

By  first  wife : 

1.  Hannah,  b.   Sept.  28,  1815,  d.  young. 

2.  Mary  Ann,  b.  Nov.  8,  1818,  m.  Frank  Lewis  of  Haverhill,  Mass.. 
had  several  ch.,  lived  in  Haverhill    Mass. 

3.  Franklin  F.,  b.  Sept.  28,  1820,  m.  Miss  Richardson  of  Pelham. 
served  in  the  Union  Army  in  the  War  for  the  Union  and  d.  in  Iowa. 
One  dau. 

4.  Ingalls,  b.  Dec.  24,  1822.  d.  young. 

5.  Elizabeth,  b.  Nov.  27,  1824,  m.  Oct.  1,  1844,  Benjamin  Perry  of 
Stoneham,  Mass.,  lives  Stoneham,  has  three  sons,  the  eldest  of  whom 
Walter  S.  Perry  has  been  professor  drawing,  Pratt  Institute,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  many  years. 

6.  Charles,  b.  July  31,  1827,  d.  July  15,  1828. 
Ch.  bv  second  wife : 

7.  *Charles   Alfred,  b.   Aug.   24,   1829. 
Ch.  bv  third  wife: 

8.  Nancy  Maria,  1).  March  9,  1832,  m.  March  18,  L854,  *Samuel  N. 
Stevens. 

9.  Harriet  E.,  b.  Sept.  22,  1834,  num.,  resides  Stoneham.  with  her 
sister,   Mrs.   Perry. 

Zephaniah  Kittredge,  son  Solomon  and  Anna  (Kittredge)  Kittredge, 
b.  Mont  Vernon.  April  1"),  1795,  m.  Nancy  Manning.  He  lived  on  the 
farm  in  the  North  District,  now  occupied  by  his  son.  Henry  J.  Kittredge 
He  d.  Sept.  20,  1876,  age  81  years,  6  mos.  She  d.  March  26,  1868,  age 
68  years,  9  mos.     Ch.  1).  Mont  Vernon. 


98  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.  Nancy  Jane,  b.  Aug.  15,  1821,  m.  Jan.  1,  1849,  *Albert  D.  Man- 
ning.    She  d.  Dec.   18,  1897. 

2.  Eliza,  d.  Aug.  31,  1845,  age  21. 

3.  Lucy  Maria,  d.  Lowell,  May  22,  1895,  age  68,  unm.  Burial  at 
Mont   Vernon. 

4.  Pamelia  J.,  m.  Charles  E.  Jackson  of  Tamworth,  N.  H.,  lives  in 
Antrim,  has  three  ch. 

5.  *Henry  J.,  b.  March  1,  1830. 

6.  *George   W.,   b.   Aug.   16,   1836,   d.    Nov.    1,    1869,   age   33   years,   2 

months,  16  days,  m.  Flint,  dau.  John  G.  Flint  of  Antrim;  lived 

Antrim. 

7.  Sarah  Frances.  Lived  in  Lowell,  d.  there  Feb.  27,  1903,  age  60 
years,   11   months. 

Zephaniah  Kittredge,  son  of  Dr.  Zephaniah  and  Elizabeth  (  Stickney) 
Kittredge,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  15,  1785;  m.  Oct.  26,  1809,  Mary,  dau. 
of  Noah  and  Mary  (  Butterfield )  Wheeler  of  Hancock  (aunt  of  Charles 
James  Fox  of  Nashua).  She  was  b.  Hancock,  Feb.  1,  1788,  d.  Feb.  25, 
1880.  He  d.  Aug.  3,  1873.  He  was  a  prominent  and  valuable  citizen,  was 
selectman  five  years,  moderator  five  years,  and  representative  in  1843. 
C.i.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mary,  1).  Sept.  7,  1S10,  m.  April  14,  1846,  Amaziah  Wood  of 
Francestown,  lived  Francestown  ;   d.  there  Oct.  27,  1879  ;   left  two  ch. 

2.  *Franklin    Otis,  1).   Nov.   28,    1813. 

3.  *Zephaniah,    b.    July    18,    1815. 

4.  Charles   K.,  b.   Anril   11,    1817,   d.    Sept.   26,    1819. 

5.  Sarah  Fox,  b.  Sept.  4,  1820:  educated  Literary  and  Scientific 
Institution,  Hancock;  taught  in  Hancock,  Mont  Vernon,  New  Ipswich, 
Charlestown,  Mass.,  and  St.  Louis  ;  m.  Eleazer  Block  of  St.  Louis,  who 
d.  in  1865,  had  one  dau.,  who  m.  T.   A.   Mevsenburg  of  St.  Louis. 

6.  Elizabeth,  b.  Oct.  :0,  1823,  d.  unm., 'Jan.  16,  1864. 

7.  Abbie,  b.  April  3,  1827.  m.  April  27,  1849,  Eben  C.  Batchelder  of 
Milford,  had  six  children,  of  whom  one  is  living;   res.   Milford. 

Dr.  Josiah  Kittredge,  son  of  Josiah  and  Mary  (Baker)  Kittredge, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  15,  179:!;  practised  in  Pembroke,  Concord  and 
Nashua,  N.  II.,  and  Boston,  moved  to  Glastonberry,  Conn.,  where  he  d. 
October  :.".).  1872.  M.  (1^  Mary  Blanchard,  dau.  David  and  Susannah 
(Lovejoy)  Stewart  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  there  Feb.  20,  1803,  d. 
Pembroke.  N.  H.  He  m.  (2)  Sarah  Whiting  French  of  Bedford,  N.  H. 
M.  (3)  Sarah  Baylies  Brigham  of  Grafton,  Mass..  May  7,  1844.  Ch.  by 
first  wife : 

1.  Mary  Clark,  b.  Dec.  8.  1827. 
Ch.  by  second  wife: 

2.  Charles  S.,  1).  Jan.  6,  is:;.';,  in  Pembroke,  m.  Maria  Chase  of  Haver- 
hill.  Mass.,   Oct.   20,   1864;   resides   Santa   Barbara,   Cal.,   has   four  ch. 

3.  Sarah   French,  b.  Nov.   15,   1834.  _ 

4.  Josiah  Edward,  1).  Oct.  12,  1836,  is  a  clergyman  at  Geneseo,  N.  Y., 
also  a  doctor  of  divinity,  m.  Tunc  12.  1871,  Emma  McNair  of  Groveland, 
Mass.,   has   four  ch. 

Capt.  Timothy  Kittredge,  son  of  Josiah  and  Mary  (Baker)  Kittredge, 
b.  Mont  Vernon.  May  15,  1795,  m.  Frances  Marsh  of  Sharon,  Vt.  She  d. 
Aug.  2s,  lSTo.  age  62.  He  d.  Feb.  10.  1870.  He  lived  on  his  father's 
farm,   afterwards   sold   it   to   the   town   for  a  poor  farm    (now  owned   and 


FRANKLIN    OTIS    KITTREDGE. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  99 

occupied  by  Edw.  Hildreth)  and  bought  bis  uncle's,  Dr.  Ingalls  Kit- 
tredge, farm,  now  owned  by  the  estate  of  his  son,  the  late  Dr.  C.  M. 
Kittredge.     He  was  a  laborious  and  thrifty  farmer.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Albert  B.,  d.  July  21,  1835,  aged  three  years,  nine  mos. 

2.  Mary  Emeline,  b.  July  25.  1834,  m.  William  Stearns  of  Amherst, 
Mass.,  a  son  of  Pres.  William  Stearns  of  Amherst  College ;  had  several 
ch.,  one  of  their  sons,  Alfred  E.  Stearns,  is  principal  Phillips  Academy. 
Andover,  Mass.     She  resides  Amherst,  Mass. 

3.  Maria  Francis,  d.  Feb.  20,  1840,  aged  three  years,  six  months. 

4.  *Charles  Marsh,  b.  April  30,  1838. 

5.  George  Dimick,  fitted  for  college  at  Mont  Vernon,  graduated  at 
Amherst  College  1865,  resided  afterwards  at  New  York  City  and  Fishkill- 
on-the-Hudson,  d.  Andover,  Mass.,  March  G,  18T7,  age  36.  Interred  at 
Mont  Vernon. 

6.  Frances  Adelia,  b.  Feb.  15,  1844,  m.  May  6,  1867,  *Dr.  Cecil  F.  P. 
Bancroft,  d.  Andover,   Mass.,  March  29,  189S. 

7.  Maria  Theresa,  b.  Dec.  1,  1850,  teacher,  res  num.  Fishkill-on-Hud- 
son,  N.  Y. 

Charles  Alfred  Kittredge,  son  Dea.  Josiah  and  Nancy  (Cochran) 
Kittredge,  b.  Mont  Vernon,'  Aug.  24.  1829,  d.  Jan.  7,  1899;  m.  May  18, 
1853,  Maria  E.  Chase  of  Lowell.  She  was  b.  May  29,  1829.  He  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  Lowell,  Concord,  Nashua,  in  which  places 
he  was  grocer  and  meat  man.  He  represented  Nashua  in  the  Legislature. 
A  worthy  and  excellent  man.     Ch. 

1.  Charles   Warren,   b.   June    .'!     1854,   d.    infancy,   aged    10   weeks. 

2.  Adelaide  Maria,  b.  May  4,  1856.  is  a  physician,  unm. 

3.  Frank  E.,  b.  Concord,  N.  H,  May  18,  1862.  m.  December  21. 
1887,  Lizzie  M.  Coombs  of  Nashua,  is  a  physician  in  Nashua. 

4.  Frederic  Lincoln,  b.  Jan.  18,  1865,  m.  Oct.  24,  1S93,  Marian  Nevens 
of  Rochester,  N.  Y. ;  lives  in  Rochester.  N.  Y. 

Henry  J.  Kittredge.  son  of  Zephaniah  and  Nancy  (  Manning)  Kit- 
tredge, b."  Mont  Vernon,  March  1,  1830.  M.  (1)  Mary  Jane  Chapman. 
She  d.  April,  1861.  M  (2)  Jane  Murray.  April  21,  1862.  She  was  b. 
Oct.  6,  1839,  at  Shimogue,  N.  B. 

Ch.  by  second  wife  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Ida  E„  b.  Jan.   19.   1864,  bookkeeper  in   Nashua. 

2.  Harriet,  b.  July  5,  1871,  m.  April  27,  1892,  *Harry  G.  Blood  of 
Mont  Vernon  ;  res.  Mont  Vernon. 

Franklin  Otis  Kittredge,  son  Zephaniah  and  Alary  (Wheeler)  Kit- 
tredge, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  28,  1813,  d.  March  20,  1902.  For  extended 
description  see  chapter  on  "Prominent  Men"  in  Manuscript  History.  He 
m.  Nov.  13,  1838,  Marv  Ann,  dau.  of  David  and  Delinda  (Saunders)  Dut- 
ton.  She  was  b.  Oct."  5,  1814,  in  Mont  Vernon,  d.  July  31,  1902.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Charles  Franklin.  1  .  Feb.  24,  1841,  graduated  Dartmouth  College, 
1861,  studied  law  with  City  Solicitor  John  P.  Healev.  Boston ;  Representa- 
tive from  Mont  Vernon,  1867;  is  now  a  lawyer  with  a  lucrative  practice 
in  Boston  ;  m.  Sept.  24,  1872,  Adelaide  F.  Lee,  dau.  of  David  and  Mary 
(King)   Lee,  of  Barre,   Mass.     Ch. 

1.  Mabel  Lee,  b.  Jan.  8,  1874,  m.  Charles  Dunn  of  Boston,  has  one  ch. 

2.  Florence  Parmenter,  b.  March  12.  1876. 

3.  Louise  Pierce,  b.   April   1.   1878. 


100  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

4.     Charles  Lee,  b.  Mav  24,  1883,  d.  Jan.  26,  1896. 
(2.)     Laureta  E.,  b.  June  23,  1843,  m.  Butler  H.  Phillips,  res.  Mont 
Vernon. 

Zephaniah  Kittreclge,  son  of  Zephaniah  and  Mary  (Wheeler)  Kit- 
tredge,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  18,  1815  :  d.  Tyngsboro,  Mass.,  July  3,  1889. 
M.  (1)  March  19,  1840,  Caroline  Mclntire  of  Lyndeboro'.  She  d.  Lowell, 
Mass.,  Aug.  4,  1878.  He  m.  (2)  Caroline  F.  Tapley  of  Lowell,  Feb.  5, 
1885.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Ellen  J.,  b.  Jan.  24,  1841,  m.  April  10,  1865  (1),  John  F.  Drury 
of  Columbus,  Ohio,  by  whom  she  had  one  son,  William  R.  Drury.  She 
m.  (2)  Nov.  27,  1884,  Oranius  W.  Burnham.  They  reside  in  Waltham, 
Mass. 

2.  Darwin  E„  b.  Jan.  15,  1846,  m.  Oct.  29,  1878,  Amelia  F.  Filley. 
Mr.  K.  is  in  the  boot  and  shoe  business  at  Rochetser,  N.  Y.  Ch.  b.  New 
Hampshire.  Joseph  P.,  b.  Aug.  2,  1879;  Frances,  b.  Sept.  12,  1881;  Mary, 
b.  Jan.  2,  1884. 

3.  Harvey  G.,  b.  May  28,  1849,  m.  (1)  June  15,  1870,  Abbie  S.  Max- 
field  of  Chester,  Vt.  They  had  one  son,  Arthur  M.,  who  d.  infancy. 
She  d.  Lowell,  Mass.,  Nov.  17,  1872.  He  m.  (2)  Feb.  2,  1875,  Julia  A. 
Spalding  of  Chester,  Vt. ;  had  two  sons,  Harry  J.  and  Phillip  H.,  both, 
d.   in  infancy.     He  is  a  dentist  in  Waltham,   Mass. 

4.  Adna  B.,  b.  Oct.  31,  1851,  is  unm.,  is  in  the  boot  and  shoe  busi- 
ness at  El  Paso,  Texas. 

Dr.  Charles  Marsh  Kittredge,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  30.  1838,  d. 
Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  19,  1896;  fitted  for  college  at  Appleton  Academy, 
graduated  at  Amherst  College  1862,  entered  the  army  in  Sept.,  1862,  re- 
signed his  commission  as  lieutenant  in  the  13th  N.  H.  Regt.  in  Nov.,  1863 ; 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Edward  Aiken  of  Amherst  and  at  Hartford 
Retreat  for  the  Insane,  graduated  Harvard  Medical  College  in  1866 ;  lo- 
cated Fishkill-on-the-Hudson  in  1S70,  m.  Dec.  5,  1869,  Marcella  Eliza,  dau. 
Dea.  William  and  Hannah  (Fornis)  Conant.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon, 
Dec.  3,   1845,  d.  Aug.  4,  1892,  at  Fishkill.     Ch.  b.   Fishkill-on-the-Hudson. 

1.  William  C,  b.  Nov.  28.  1870;  d.  Feb.  11,  1887. 

2.  Charles  Albert,  b.  April  26,  1872,  a  physician. 

3.  Edward  Walter,  b.  Oct.  2,  1873,  d.  July  29,  1874. 

4.  Aida,  b.  Dec.  5,  1876,   m.  a  Abbe. 

5.  Harry  Marsh,  b.  May  25,  1878. 

6.  George   Dimick,   b.    March   2,   1886. 

KENNEDY. 

Michael  Kennedy,  servant  and  coachman,  came  here  from  Boston  and 
lived  with  Mr.  Henry  Bishop  on  Joseph  Conant  farm,  in  the  forties  and 
fifties,  several  years.  He  returned  to  Boston,  where  he  d.  He  was  a 
man  of  property,  which  he  left  by  will  to  the  Catholic  Church. 

La   FOREST. 

Samuel  Otis  La  Forest,  of  Spanish  origin,  lived  here  in  the  fifties. 
He  was  a  mechanic.  He  built  the  foundation  and_main  part  of  A.  W. 
Bragg's  house,  and  lived  there.  He  moved  to  Boston,  served  in  the  47th 
Mass.  Regt.  in  Civil  War.  He  m.  Mary  Harrington.  She  d.  March  4, 
1885,  age  67.     They  had  several  ch. 


CHARLES  M.  KITTREDGE,  M.D. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  101 

LEACH. 

Capt.  Lebbeus  Leach  came  from  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  was  a  retired 
shipmaster,  lived  several  years  in  the  Campbell  house,  moved  away  about 
3375.  He  d.  Newtonville,  Mass.,  May  25,  1884,  aged  85  years.  He  m. 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wheelwright,  second  wife  (sister  of  James  Bruce).     Ch. 

1.  John  B.,  m.  a  Miss  Bellows  of  Pepperell,  Mass.,  lived  in  Mont 
Vernon  several  years.  One  son,  Albert,  who  attended  McCollom  Insti- 
tute. 

2.  Mary,  m  a  Loring  of  California. 

3.  Lebbeus. 

LAMSON. 

Samuel  Lamson,  b.  Reading,  Mass.,  Jan.  8,  1701.  In  company  with 
Samuel  Walton  he  settled  on  the  Bryant  Melendly  place,  a  mile  south  of 
Amherst  Village.  Lamson  afterwards  removed  to  Mont  Vernon,  where 
he  lived  25  years.  In  1765  he  removed  to  Billerica,  Mass.,  where  he  d. 
about  1770.   "He  m.  Abigail  Bryant,  July  3,  1722. 

1.  Abigail,   b.   Feb.   12,   1723,   m.   Jospph   Ellenwood. 

2.  Samuel,  b.  Oct.  24,  1724,  m.  Rebecca  Crosby,  Nov.  6,  1770. 

3.  *Jonathan,  b.   Sept.  29,  1726. 

4.  Rebecca,  b.   March  25,   1733. 

5.  Sarah,  b.  1739,  said  to  have  been  the  first  child  b.  of  English 
parents  in  Amherst,  m.  James  Gage  of  Amherst,  had  10  ch. 

Tonathan  Lamson,  son  of  Samuel  and  Abigail  (Bryant)  Lamson,  b. 
Reading,  Mass.,  Sept.  29,  1726,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec,  1815;  m.  Mehitable 
Holt.     She  d.  Feb.  16,  1826,  age  92.     Ch.  probably  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mehitable,  b.   March  25,  1755,  d.  unm.   in  Nashua,  April  18,   1844. 

2.  "Jonathan,  b.  Aug.  10,  1756. 

3.  Ebenezer,  b.  Aug.  20,  1759,  d.  June.  1760. 

4.  Sarah,  b.  March  20,  1761,  m.  June  25,  1782,  *Dea.  Jacob  Kendall; 
d.   Aug.  10,  1847. 

5.  Phebe,  b.  Jan.  9.  1763,  d.  Feb.,  1773. 

6.  Elizabeth,  b.  Nov.  17,  1767. 

7.  Ebenezer,  b.  July   10,   1769,   d.  Jan.   18,   1770. 

8.  *John,  b.   March  10,  1771. 

9.  Jesse,   b.    Oct.    17,    1773. 

Jonathan  Lamson,  son  Jonathan  and  Mehitable  (Holt)  Lamson,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  10.  1756,  m.  March  14,  1782,  Rebecca,  dau.  Ebenezer 
and  Lydia  (Peabody)  Holt.  She  was  b.  Sept.  7,  1752.  He  served  in  the 
War   for   Independence.     Ch. 

Ebenezer  H.  b.  Dec.  23,  1784,  m.  July  10,  1811,  Phebe,  dau.  Israel  and 
Susanna  (Farnum)  Farnum.     She  was  b.  March  31,  1788. 

John  Lamson,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Mehitable  (Holt)  Lamson,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  March  10,  1771,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  12,  1841,  m.  Cath- 
erine Harris.  She  was  b.  Jan.  27,  1771,  d.  Dec.  10,  1853.  Ch.  b  Mont 
Vernon. 

1.  Catherine,  b.  April  30,  1798,  d.  unm.  at  Groton,  Mass.,  Feb.  26, 
1884. 

2.  Hannah,  b.  Jan.  19,  1800,  d.  unm.  Feb.  11,.  1873. 

3.  Mehitable,  b.  Aug.  25,  1802;  d.  unm.   Nov.,  1854. 


102  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

4.  Betsey,  b.  July  24,  1805,  m.  Isaac  Searles,  June  27,  1824,  had 
several  ch.,  lived  in  Mont  Vernon,  d.  March  18,  1884,  at  Milford. 

5.  Sarah,  b.  July  23,  1807;  m.  (1)  Otis  Marshall  of  Chelmsford, 
Mass.,  Nov.  14,  1834;  he  d.  Aug.  29,  1837.  She  m.  (2)  William  Cutler 
of  Billerica,  Dec.  17,  1846. 

6.  Levi  Woodbury,  b.  July  13,  1813,  d.  in  Amherst  in  July,  1856; 
m.  Elizabeth  Fuller  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  had  six  ch. 

7.  Lois,  b.  July  13,  1813,  m.  Joseph  Marshall  of  Chelmsford,  Mass., 
Oct.  10,  1836. 

8.  John,  b.  Oct.  6,  1815.  d.  Oct.  6,  1821. 

William  Lamson,  (of  Danish  origin)  emigrated  to  here  in  1637  and 
settled  in  Hamilton,  Mass.  He  had  a  son,  William,  who  was  the  father 
of  Jonathan  Lamson  of  Hamilton,  who  was  b.  in  1720,  d.  Aug.  16,  1808. 
His  wife,  Anna  (Whipple)  Lamson,  d.  Aug.  29,  1791.  William,  the  eldest 
of  their  ch.,  b.  Hamilton,  March,  1746,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.,  1800; 
m.  Mary  Summers  of  Hamilton,  Mass.  She  was  b.  July  31,  1746,  d. 
Dec.  10,  1835.  He  settled  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  great-grandson, 
Frank  O.  Lamson,  about  the  vear  1770.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  William,  b.  Jan.  26,  1771,  d.  Oct.  5,  1775. 

2.  Porter,  b.  April,  1773,  d.  Sept.,  1775. 

3.  Hannah,  b.  June  11,  1775,  m.  William  Cogswell,  May,  1794,  d, 
Nov.  14,  1812. 

4.  Marv,  b.  July  15,  1777,  d.  Dec.  4,  1803. 

5.  Nancy,  b.  April  2,  1782,  m.  April  26,  1813,  Nathan  Smith  of 
Templeton,  Mass. ;  d.  Feb.,  1855. 

6.  *William,   b.   Feb.    15,   1785. 

7.  *John  Lummus,   b.  July  15,   1787. 

Capt.  William  Lamson,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Lummus)  Lam- 
son, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  15,  1785;  m.  Nov.,  1807,  Serviah  Jones,  dau. 
of  Nathan,  Jr.,  and  Esther  (Buttcrfield)  Jones.  She  was  b.  Oct.  1,  1783, 
d.  Jan.  10,  1851.  He  d.  June  9,  1857.  He  inherited  his  father's  farm. 
Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *William    Osborn,   b.    Sept.    15,    1808. 

2.  Mary,  b.  Aug.  17,  1810,  d.  until.,  March  15,  1893. 

3.  Serviah,  b.  Jan.  15,  1815.  m.  Feb.  23,  1837,  :i!Hiram  Perkins.  She 
d.  March  1,  1871. 

4.  Augusta,  b.  March  9,  1817,  m.  July  21,  1841,  *Capt.  Chester  B. 
Southworth.     She  d.  Manchester,  Feb.  1,  1879. 

5.  Adeline,  b.  July  25,  1821,   d.  unm,  April  4,   1859. 

6     Nancy,  b.  Oct.  7,  1827,  m.  Nov.  10.  1857,  *  George  W.  Averill. 

John  L.  Lamson,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Lummus)  Lamson,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  July  15,  1787,  m.  Sept.  10,  1809,  Nancy  Bradford,  dau. 
Enos  Bradford  of  Mont  Vernon.  He  settled  on  the  farm,  southeast  of 
Mont  Vernon  Village,  now  owned  by  estate  of  E.  C.  Flanders.  He  d. 
March  5,  1878.      Ch. 

1.  *William,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  1809,  m.  Sarah,  dau.  of  David  Starrett 
of  New  Boston.  She  was  b.  Aug.  12,  1811.  He  was  engaged  for  many 
years  in  his  earlier  life  in  the  glass  manufacture  at  Pembroke  N.  H., 
whence  he  removed  to  Matamora,  111.,  opposite  Peoria.  He  was  there 
many  years,  subsequently  removed  Garden  Grove,  Orange  Co.,  near  Los 
Angeles,  S.  California,  where  he  d.  July  30,  1894  age  85.     Ch. 

1.  William  Bradford,  b.  June  16,  1836,  m.  Aug.  24,  1865,  Eveline 
Tunnell,  brick  mason,  five  ch.,  res. 


CAPT.  WILLIAM  O.  LAMSON. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  103 

2.  George  Starrett,  b.  Suncook,  N.  H.,  June  18,  1839,  m.  Hattie 
Henderson  of  Fairbury  111.,  Dec.  26,  1865;  d.  Feb.  21,  1879,  at  Hamilton, 
Mo.,  was  cashier  of  Hamilton  Savings  Bank  and  Judge  of  Caldwell  Co. 
Court,  left  one  son  and  two  dau. 

3.  Justin  W.,  b.  Suncook,  May  2t,  1841,  Physician;  in.  Susan  M. 
Ritchey,  Jan.  17,  1871,  two  ch.,  son  and  dau. 

4.  Sarah  Frances,  b.  May  1,  1843,  m.  Oct.  13,  1874,  Samuel  B. 
Everett,  a  farmer,  had  two  sons. 

Capt.  William  Osborn  Lamson,  son  of  Capt.  William  and  Servian 
(Jones)  Lamson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  15,  1808;  farmer,  resided  on 
homestead  in  North  Dist,  where  he  d.  July  12,  1896.  He  m.  Jan.  10,  1849, 
Mrs.  Orinda  F.  (Odell)  Upton,  wid.  Josiah  Upton  and  dau.  of  Luther 
and  Betsey  (Green)  Odell.  She  was  b.  Feb.  16,  1819,  d.  Nov.  24,  1874. 
Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

Twins : — 

1.  Harriet  Frances,  b.  April  6,  1850;  m.  Aug.  31.  1870,  Henry  A. 
Kelso  of  New  Boston;  one  son,  Walter  L.,  b.  Feb.  17,  1872.  She  ret. 
New  Boston. 

2.  Mariett  Augusta,  b.  April  6,  1850;  res.  Mont  Vernon,  unm. 
Twins  : — 

3.  Ella  Theresa,  b.  Dec.  9,  1851,  m.  Oct.  22,  1875,  H.  E.  Hardy  o! 
Manchester;  d.  childless,  June  13,  1877. 

4.  Ellen  Orinda,  b.  Dec.  9,  1851,  m.  Dec.  25,  1871,  Lendell  Dodge  oi 
New  Boston ;  res.  New  Boston ;  two  ch. 

5.  Ida  Henrietta,  b.  Sept.  20,  1853,  m.  L.  Woodbury  Perham  of  Wil- 
ton, Dec.  31,  1874;   has  two  ch. 

6.  Frank  Osborn,  b.  Oct.  20,  1858. 

Frank  Osborn  Lamson,  son  Capt.  Wm.  B.  and  Orinda  F.  (Odell) 
Lamson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  20,  1858;  m.  Jan.  9,  1890,  Marcia  E.,  dau. 
Dea.  George  G.  and  Mary  E.  (Home)  Batchelder,  she  was  b.  Mont  Ver- 
non, March  3,   1864.     Farmer;   res.  on  homestead.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Albert  Batchelder,  b.  Julv  31,  1891. 

2.  Ella  M.,  b.  March  5,  1895. 

3.  William  Osborn,  b.  July  29,  1900. 

LANGDELL. 

William  Langdell  was  an  Englishman,  settled  in  Beverly,  Mass., 
came  to  Mont  Vernon  with  his  son,  Joseph.  He  m.  Maria  Wittredge  of 
Beverly,  Mass.,  had  5  sons,  two  of  whom  were  lost  at  sea  in  one  vessel. 
His  wife  d.  1816.  He  finally  settled  in  New  Boston  with  his  son,  Liver- 
more,  who  had  settled  there  in  1771.  and  d.  there  in  1799. 

Joseph  Langdell,  son  of  William  and  Maria,  settled  Mont  Vernon, 
1773,  was  selectman,  removed  to  Wenham,  Mass.,  in  1809,  and  d.  there  in 
May,  1829,  aged  94.     Ch.  of  Joseph  Langdell,  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Lucy,  b.  June  27,   1774. 

2.  Molly,  b.  April  27.  1776;  m.  John  Bradford  in  April,  1798.  He 
was  an  elder  brother  of  Rev.  E.  P.  Bradford  of  New  Boston ;  lived  in 
Hillsboro  and   Peterboro,  where  he  d. :   had  six  ch. 

3.  Rebecca,  b.  April  13,  1778,  m.  Feb.  19,  1796,  (1)  Dr.  Henry  Cod- 
man,  Jr.;  m.  (2)   Thomas  Hamlin.     She  d.  May  5,  1855. 

4.  Betsey,  b.  Nov.  15,  1780,  m.  Nov.  28,  1799,;  John  Ray,  son  of 
Fbenezer   Ray. 


104  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

5.  Abigail,  b.  Feb.  25,  1782,  m.  April  11,  1808,  *Allen  Dodge,  d. 
Oct.  17,  1812. 

6.  Esther,  b.   May  14,  1783,  m.  June  5,  1807,  Ebenezer  Odell,  Jr. 

7.  *Ezra,  b.   March  5,  1785. 

8.  Anna,  1).  March  9,  1788,  m.  July  2,  1810,   Charles  Cambridge. 

9.  *Mark  D..  b.  May  6,  1792. 

Ezra  Langdell  son  of  Joseph  Langdell,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  $, 
1785;  m.  his  cousin,  Rebecca,  dau.  of  Livermore  Langdell  of  New  Boston. 
She  was  b.  March  20,  1792,  d.  Jan.  6,  1855.  He  d.  Dec.  22,  1855.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon. 

1     Aurelia,  b.  Aug.  13,  1810,  m.  *Charles  Underwood,  Oct.  8,  1829. 

2.  Nancy  B.,  b.  Sept.  28,  1812;  m.  Daniel  Ordway;  lives  Francestown; 
three  ch. 

3.  Lucv  A.,  b.  Aug.  6  1814,  m.  *Gilman  Alcott,  June  24,  1837.  She 
d.  March  12,  1838. 

4.  Edward  D.,  b.  Aug.  2,  1816,  lived  in  New  Boston. 

5.  Betsey,  b.  October  4,  1818. 

6.  *Stephen  Chapin,  b.   Sept.  9,   1820. 

7.  Abby  D.,  b.   March  6,   1823,  second  wife  Gilman  Alcott. 

8.  Mary  F.,  b.  April  6,  1829. 

9.  Charles  F.,  b.  April  18,  1832,  lived  in  Ohio. 
10.     John,  b.   May  16,   1835,  d.  young. 

Mark  D.  Langdell,  son  of  Joseph  Langdell,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  6, 
1792,  m.  Lucy,  dau.  of  Paul  and  Betsey  (Woodbury)  Whipple  of  New 
Boston,  June  9,  1817.  Was  an  inn-keeper.  He  d.  Lyndeboro,  Dec.  16, 
1859.     She  was  b.  April  12  ,1798,  d.  Dec.  29,   1880,  at  Wilton.     Ch. 

1.  James,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  27,  1818;  m.  Oct.  27,  1840,  Mary, 
dau.  of  James  and  Lydia  (Glover)  Stearns  of  Amherst;  had  three  sons; 
d.  Lowell,  where  he  lived,  May  2,  1860. 

2.  Elizabeth,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  13,  1820,  m.  (1)  *Luke  Wilkins, 
June  22,  1843;  m.  (2)  Levi  Curtis;  d.  Milford,  May  28,  1897. 

3.  Esther  M.,  b.  Mont  Vernon  April  8,  1822,  m.  Isaac  Richardson  of 
Milford,   had  two  ch.,  d.   Milford,   Aug.   12,   1882. 

4.  Lucy  M.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  9,  1824,  m.  June  9,  1844,  George 
E.  Washer  of  Milford;  d.  Milford,  Jan.  14,  1871;  no  ch. 

5.  Joseph,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  30,  1826;  lived  Wilton,  where  he 
d.  Aug.  9.  1893;   left  a  family. 

6.  Adaline,  b.  Amherst,  July  15,  1828,  d.  Jan.  17,  1853,  unm. 

7.  Clarinda,  b.  Lowell,  December  13,  1853,  d.  Amherst,  Sent.  29,  1855. 

8.  Hannah  W.,  b.  Lowell,  March  15,  1835;  m.  Oct.  25,  1855,  O.  W. 
Butler  of  Lyndeboro. 

9.  John  D.,  b.  Lowell,  Feb.   14,   1837,  d.  Wilton,   Aug.   5,   1892. 

10.     William,  b.  Nashua  Nov.  26,  1841,  d.  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Sept. 
25,  1864. 

Stephen  Chapin  Langdell,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  9,  1820,  d.  Sept.  25, 
1895;  m.  Lucy  B.,  dau.  of  James  J.  and  Lucy  W.  (Burnham)  Averill, 
1844.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  4,  1816,  d.  Feb.  9,  1903.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon. 

1.  James  A.,  b.  Sept.  14,  1845.  m.  Mary  E.,  dau.  Luke  and  Elizabeth 
Langdell  Wilkins,  Dec.  15,  1869.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  10,  1846. 
He  was  acidentally  shot  April  2,  1870. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  105 

2.  Helen  M.,  b,  Nov.  8,  1846,  m.  March  25,  1S74,  *George  Fred 
Turbell,   one  dau. 

3.  Eunice  B.,  b.  March  31,  1851,  m.  August  21,  1869,  Franklin  E. 
Myers,  b.  North  Adams,  Mass.,  June  16,  1846 ;  residence,  Stoneham,  Mass. 
No  ch. 

4.  Jennie  A.,  b.  Oct.  23,  1853,  m.  Feb.  15,  1873,  William  H.  Pratt  of 
Stoneham,  Mass.     He  d.  1899;  res.  Stoneham;  one  dau. 

LEAVITT. 

Andrew  Leavitt,  b.  in  the  vicinity  of  Exeter  in  1752,  d.  in  Amherst, 
Aug.  24,  1846,  aged  94;  m.  (1)  .Sarah  Hastings ;  m.  (2)  Elizabeth  (Ken- 
drick)  Jones,,  dau.  of  Daniel  Kendrick  of  Hollis  and  widow  of  Timothy 
Jones;  she  d.  May,  1818,  aged  55.  He  m.  (3)  Mrs.  Abigail 
(Rust)  Hildreth.  widow  Jonathan  Hildreth.  She  d.  Feb.  12, 
1834,  age  66.  He  learned  the  housewright's  trade  of  Dea.  Ephraim 
Barker,  and  came  with  him  as  a  journeyman  to  Amherst  before 
the  commencement  of  the  Revolution,  and  afterward  carried  on  the  busi- 
ness here  until  disabled  bv  age.  He  went  to  Amherst  about  1800.  He 
was  present  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  was  at  Cambridge  when 
Washington  took  command  of  the  army.  He  was  probably  the  last  sur- 
vivor of  the  Mont  Vernon  soldiers  at  Bunker  Hill.  He  lived  in  Mont 
Vernon  many  years,  coming  here  about  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  He 
built  the  house  commonly  known  as  the  "Dr.  Smith  House"  in  Mont 
Vernon  Village.     Nine  oldest  ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon  by  first  wife. 

1.  Andrew,  m.  twice,  served  on  board  a  privateer  in  the  War  of 
1812,  was  taken  prisoner  and  confined  in  Dartmoor  prison,  England,  d.  in 
Marblehead,  Mass.  after  his  liberation,  of  disease  contracted  while  in 
prison. 

2.  Sarah,  m.  *Jesse  Averill.  The  tradition  is  that  she  was  a  wonder- 
ful singer,  with  a  voice  of  rare  sweetness  and  remarkable  power,  though 
none  of  her  descendants  seem  to  have  inherited  this  captivating  gift. 
Following  is  an  extract  graphically  describing  the  impression  she  made, 
from  a  letter  of  Prof.  Reuben  D.  Muzzey  (who,  in  his  youth,  was  an 
attendant  at  the  Mont  Vernon  Church)  of  Dartmouth  College,  written  at 
Boston  in  1862  to  Rev.  Dr.  J.  G.  Davis  of  Amherst: 

"There  was  one  charm,  which  was  peculiar,  connected  with  the  wor- 
ship on  that  hill — it  was  the  singing.  There  was  a  good  choir,  but  the 
fascination  came  from  a  single  voice,  that  of  Miss  Leavitt,  an  elder  sister 
of  Miss  Leavitt,  who  afterward  became  the  mother  of  the  Hutchinson 
family,  renowned  in  song.  The  choir  of  Mont  Vernon  Church  met  for 
practice  on  Sabbath  morning,  before  the  hour  of  worship.  Miss  Leavitt 
always  sang  the  alto.  How  many  times  as  striplings  ascended  the  hill 
did  we  stop  to  drink  in  those  rich  and  heavenly  tones  (oh,  I  can  hear  them 
now)  which  filled  the  whole  atmosphere  and  seemed  to  come  from  an 
elevation  far  above  that  of  the  open  windows.  My  dear  sir,  pardon  my 
enthusiasm,  I  have  since  heard  Madame  Malibran,  Madame  Stontag,  Jenny 
Lind  and  an  oratorio  in  St.  Xavier  chapel  from  the  choir  of  Pope  Pius  IX. 
on  the  evening  of  his  coronation,  and  I  have  not  yet  heard  a  voice  so 
rich  and  inspiring  as  that  of  Miss  Leavitt.  Does  such  a  voice  come  as 
often  as  once  in  a  century?" 

3.  Mary,  b.  July  25,  1785,  m.  Aug.  7,  1800,  Jesse  Hutchinson  of  Mil- 
ford,  d.  in  Milford,  Sept.  20,  1868.  She  was  the  mother  of  16  ch.,  among 
whom  were  the  three  brothers.  Judson,  John,  Asa  and  one  sister,  Alby, 
who  comprised  the  famous  "Tribe  of  Jesse,"  who  were  renowned  in 
Europe  and  America  for  their  gift  of  song. 


106  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

4.  John,  b.  April  16,  1787,  d.  Amherst,  Aug.  13,  1862;  m.  Nov.  17, 
1816,  Nancy  Averill  of  Milford.  She  was  b.  March  24,  1793,  d.  Nov.  22, 
1854.     They  lived  in  Amherst  and  had  four  ch.  . 

5.  Betsey,  d.  unm. 

6.  Benjamin  was  a  painter,  lived  in  Amherst,  d.  June,  1848,  aged  54, 
m.  (l)  Clarissa,  dau.  Eleazer  and  Elizabeth  (Bullard)  Rhoads  of  Amherst, 
m.   (2)   Mary  Ames,  had  five  ch. 

7.  William,  m.  Sarah  Burnham,  d.  Nov.  28,  1872. 

8.  Nathaniel,  d.  in  California. 

9.  Hannah,  m.  John  Adams. 
Ch.  by  second  wife  b.  Amherst. 

10.  Roxanna,  m.  John  Marvell  of  Milford. 

11.  Daniel  Kendrick,  removed  to  Carmcll,  Ohio,  where  he  d. 

12.  Nancy,   m.   Hiram   Parker   of   Lexington,    Mass.,   lived   in   Lowell. 
Mass. 

LEWIS. 

Rev.  Thomas  J.  Lewis,  b.  Swansea,  Wales,  July  2,  1857,  commenced 
preaching  in  Wales  as  a  religious  exhorter,  at  the  age  of  16  came  to 
America  in  1883,  was  student  at  Marietta  College,  Ohio,  1883  and  1884; 
was  at  Bangor  Theological  Seminary  from  1884  to  1887,  in  which  last 
year  he  was  licensed  to  "reach.  Traveled  one  year  in  Europe ;  was  lo- 
cated in  the  ministry  two  "°ars  from  1888  to  1890  at  South  West  Harbor. 
Me.  From  1890  to  1893  he  was  at  East  Andover,  N.  H.  Commenced 
preaching  at  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  21,  1894,  closed  his  work  here  Dec.  5, 
1897.  Is  now  (1902)  preaching  at  East  Andover,  N.  H.  M.  Anna  J. 
Daniels,  b.  1855.     Ch. 

1.  John   Daniels,  b.  Wales,  1879. 

2.  William  Edward,  b.  Wales,  Aug.,  1882. 

3.  Gladys,  b.  East  Andover,  N.  H.,  Dec,  1892. 

LIVINGSTONE. 

Samuel  A.  Livingstone,  m.  Dec.  7,  1815,  Hannah,  dau.  Samuel  and 
Lydia  (Adams)  Twiss.  He  was  killed  by  falling  from  the  tannery  of 
Samuel  Trull,  Esq.,  in  New  Boston,  Oct.  30,  1827,  age  69.  His  wid.  m. 
John  Hills  in  1836.  He  d.  1873.  She  was  b.  New  Boston,  July  17,  1793, 
d.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  8,  1891.     Ch.  b.  New  Boston. 

1.  Samuel  F.,  b.  Feb.  5,  1825,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  when  a  lad 
and  lived  with  John  Battles,  whose  farm  in  the  East  District  he  ultimately 
owned.  He  m.  (1)  Feb.  20,  1859,  Sarah  J.,  dau.  Galen  and  Sarah  C.  (Ames) 
Hamblett  of  Milford.  She  was  b.  Dracut,  Mass.,  Nov.  30,  1834,  d.  Nov. 
16,  1877.  He  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Olivia  (Haradon)  Livingstone  of  New  Boston. 
She  d.  May  11,  1902,  aged  72  years,  10  months.  He  d.  May  13,  1899.  One 
son  by  first  wife,  Llewellyn  H.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  2,  1864,  lives  in 
Antrim. 

2.  Benjamin,  T.  b.  Jan.  6,  1827,  served  in  the  Union  Army  in  the 
27th  Mass.  Regt.  from  Winchester,  Mass.,  d.  Chelsea,  Mass.,  March  3,  1902. 
He  m.  Jan.,  1865,  Maria  F.,  dau.  Benjamin  F.  and  Hannah  (Smith)  Hill. 
She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  16,  1829 ;  d.  Sept.  13,  1880,  at  Chelsea,  Mass 

3.  Dau.  Adeline  L.,  m.  Irving  Battles  of  Woburn  ;  2,  Helen  M.,  m 
Leonard  S.  Bean.     3,  Isabel,  m.  Freeman  D.  Blake. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  107 

Charles  A.  Livingstone,  son  Col.  E.  W.  Livingstone  of  Nashua,  b. 
Nashua,  was  a  blacksmith  in  Mont  Vernon  from  April,  1870,  until  Sept. 
1883,  when  he  removed  to  Lowell  where  he  d.  May  4,  1892,  age  52  years. 
He  was  twice  married.  He  had  two  daughters  by  his  first  wife  and  one 
son  by  his  second  wife.  I  lis  second  wife,  Mrs.  Clara  L.  Livinstone,  d. 
Lowell,  Mass.,  June  3,  1896,  age  47  years.  A  daughter,  Josephine  E.,  d. 
Lowell,  Nov.   17,  1885,  aged  10  years. 

LOVEJOY. 

Joseph  Lovejoy,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  d.  in  Mont  Vernon,  Oct. 
18,  1814,  aged  about  80  years.  He  m.  Patience,  dau.  of  *William  and 
Mary  (Lambert)  Bradford,  July  9,  1761,  she  d.  Amherst,  May  1,  1826, 
aged"  about  85  years.  He  settled  in  Mont  Vernon  about  1761.  Ch.  prob- 
ably b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Sarah,  b.  May  6,  1762,  m.  Feb.  14,  1786,  *Daniel  Kendall;  d.  Aug. 
14,  1847. 

2.  Edith,  b.  April  7,  1764,  d.  young. 

3.  Patience,  b.  April  1,  1766,  m.  Feb.  1,  1787,  William  Small  of  Am- 
herst; had  12  ch. ;  d.  Morristown,  Vt.,  Oct.  18,  1851. 

4.  Susannah,  b.  June  11,  1769,  m.  Feb.  9,  1796,  David  Stewart  of  Am- 
herst, had  7  ch.;  d.  Amherst,  Aug.  24,  1846. 

5.  Polly,  m.  James  Dascomb,  May  20,  1794;  d.  Wilton,  Nov.  16, 
1851;  4  ch. 

6.  Betsey,  b.  1772,  m.  Oct.  10,  1794,  *Benjamin  Parker.  She  d.  Am- 
herst, Sept.  25,  1839;  6  ch. 

7.  Arethusa,  m.  Asa  Farnum,  May  25,  1803. 

8.  Joseph,  m.  Mrs.  Baker,  d.  Salem,  Mass.,  Nov.,  1821. 

LOVEREN. 

Alvah  Loveren,  b.  Deering,  moved  to  Medford,  Mass.,  came  to  Mont 
Vernon  Village,  where  he  d.  He  m.  Matilda  K.,  dau.  Isaac  and  Pamelia 
(Stevens)  Smith  of  Deering.  She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  March  7,  1885,  aged 
66.     Ch. 

1.  Alva  Dexter,  b.  Deering,   d.   in   infancy. 

2.  Edgar  H.,  b.  Wendell,  N.  H.,  lives  in  Roxbury,  Mass.;  one  ch. 

3.  Arthur  D.,  b.  Medford,  Mass.,  lives  in  Philadelphia ;  has  two  dau. 

4.  Altia,  d.  young. 

5.  Charles  D.,  b.  Medford ;  is  not  livnig. 

LORD. 

Rev.  Charles  E.  Lord,  son  John  P.  Lord  and  nephew  Nathan  Lord, 
President  Dartmouth  College,  was  b.  South  Berwick,  Me.,  was  pastor  of 
the  church  here  from  1856  to  1861,  afterwards  in  the  ministry  at  Chester, 
Vt.,  was  some  years  a  professor  in  training  schools  for  divinity.  He 
retired  about  20  years  before  his  death  and  resided  at  Salisbury,  Mass., 
where  he  d.  Feb.  9,  1902,  aged  85  years.  He  m.  1856,  Miss  Eunice  Pike  of 
Newburyport.     No.  ch. 

MANNING. 

Albert  D.  Manning,  son  Jesse  and  Eleanor  (Morgan)  Manning,  b. 
Billerica,  Mass     Dec.  20,  1820;  m.  Jan.  1,  1849,  Nancy  J.,  dau.  Zephaniah 


188  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

and  Nancy  (Manning)  Kittredge.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  15, 
1881;  d.  Dec.  18,  1897.  He  settled  on  a  farm  in  the  North  District  in 
1854.     Ch. 

1.  Albert  Haskell,  b.  Oct.  4,  1849,  d.   Sept.  23,  1866. 

2.  Lucy  A.,  b.   Sept.   23,   1853,  d.  April  25,  1865. 

3.  Walter  C,  b.  Feb.  15,  1861,  in  Mont  Vernon,  m.  Sept.  11,  1886, 
Olive  Bailey  of  Lunenburg,  Mass.  He  d.  Lunenburg,  April  12,  1896;  one 
ch. 

Pearl  Ethel,  b.  Sept.  28,  1887. 

Henry  Manning,  b.  New  Boston,  Dec.  15,  1840  was  a  member  of  the 
4th  N.  H.  Regt.  in  the  War  for  the  Union,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  in 
1880  from  Amherst,  lived  on  the  turnpike,  moved  to  Milford  in  1887, 
where  he  d.  June  3,  1903;  m.  Oct.  2,  1867,  Emily  A.  Braman  of  North- 
bridge,   Mass.     She  was  b.  Grafton,   Mass.,  June  1,   1849.     Ch. 

1.  Eugene  H.,  b.  Northbridge,  Mass.,  Dec.  12,  1867,  m.  Miss  Nettie 
Pond,  lives  Milford. 

2.  Ruel  D.,  b.  Northbridge,  Aug.  31,  1869,  m.  Miss  Nellie  Therrien; 
three  ch.  ;  lives  Milfrd. 

3.  James  O..  b.  Mont  Vernnn,   Sept.  13,  1871. 

4.  Sadie  M..  b.  Amherst,  June  19,  1874,  d.   Milford,   March  11,  1S9?. 

5.  Louise  A.,  b.   Amherst,   Sept.  27,  1R79;   res.   MMf  rd. 

6.  Joseph,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  22,  1882;  res.  Milford. 

Elisha  R.  Manning  came  from  north  part  of  state,  m.  Julia  A.,  dau. 
Mrs.  Charlotte  Brown.  They  lived  with  Mrs.  Brown,  where  J.  M.  Glea- 
son  now  does.  Airs.  M.  d.  Sept.  9,  1877,  aged  56.  A  dau.,  Julia  M.,  d. 
Feb.  24,  1853,  aged  20  months. 

MARDEN. 

Nathan  Marden.  son  of  Lemuel  and  Hannah  (Greenongh)  Marden, 
a  bricklayer  by  trade,  moved  to  Mnnt  Vernon  from  New  Boston.  He 
built  the  house  in  village  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Ellen  Starrr-tt.  He  d. 
here  May  16,  1833,  age  56.  He  m.  Oct.  11,  1806.  Susanna,  dau.  Calvin 
and  Esther  (Wilkins)  Stevens.  She  was  b.  in  Hillsboro,  M.irch  4,  1789, 
d.  Mont  Vernon.  Aug.  20.  1843.     Ch.  were: 

1.  *Beniamin  Franklin,  b.  New  Boston,  Sept.  7,  1P07. 

2.  *Nathan  Richmond. 

3.  Susanna  m.  Edwin  M.  Holt  of  Lyndeboro,  Dec,  1834.  They 
lived  in  Mont  Vernon  and  Amherst.  Three  ch.,  viz:  (1)  Frank,  d.  in 
army  in  1861  ;  (2)  Addie  M.,  d.  July  30,  1873,  age  27;  (3)  George  E.,  b. 
Jan.    20,    1848,   is   of   Nashua. 

4.  *William  S.,  b.  Nov.  22,  1820. 

5.  Sarah  C,  b.  1824,  m.  Nov..  1844,  Peter  W.  Haseltine ;  one  son, 
Arthur.  She  d.  Nov.  3,  1883,  in  Boston,  aged  59.  Was  buried  in  Mont 
Vernon. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Marden,  son  of  Nathan  and  Susannah  (Stevens) 
Marden,  b.  New  Boston,  Sept.  7,  1807,  moved  to  Mont  Vernon  when 
young,  having  lived  in  Wilton,  was  a  shoemaker ;  d.  Mont  Vernon,  March 
25,  1891.  He  m.  May  20,  1834,  Betsey  Buss.  She  was  b.  Wilton,  Aug.  3, 
1810,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  1.  1891.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Sarah  Luthera,  b.  May  9,  1835,  m.  March  9.  1868,  *George  G. 
Averill  of  Mont  Vernon,  res.  Mont  Vernon. 


HON.   GEORGE  A.   MARDEN. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  100 

2.  Benjamin  R,  b.  May  12,  1836,  d.  in  infancy. 

3.  Susan,  b.  June  23,  1837,  d.  Jan.  2,  1859. 

4.  *George  Augustus,   b.  Aug.  9,   1839. 

5.  Franklin,  b.  March  31,  1841,  m.  May  16,  1883,  Frances  M.  Biddle, 
dau.  Barrack  Biddle  of  Concord.  She  d.  Oct.  15,  1885,  age  43.  Has  re- 
sided in  Concord  and  Manchester,  was  shoe  dealer,  now  resides  Mont 
Vernon. 

6.  Maria  Theresa,  b.  March  6,  1844,  m.  May  18,  1869,  Capt.  Elbridge 
Gerry  Martin  of  East  Boston.  He  was  an  efficient  pilot,  had  summer  res- 
idence in  Mont  Vernon.  A  very  worthy  man.  He  d.  April  5,  1902.  Ch. 
b.  East  Boston,  where  she  resides.  1.  Frank  L.,  b.  March,  1875;  2.  Bertha 
V.,  b.  March  20,  1878. 

7.  Katherine  H.,  b.  Dec.  16,  1846,  m.  Nov.  27,  1873,  Samuel  Sewall 
of  Lowell.  She  d.  Aug.  27,  1886.  Two  ch.,  Harry  B.,  b.  Aug.  9,  1875; 
Gertrude   M.,   b.   Oct.  19,   1879. 

8.  Wendell  Phillips,  b.  May  6,  1850,  m.  Oct.  23,  1878,  Malvina  D., 
dau.  of  George  L.  Nutter  of  Concord,  two  ch.,  Edward  L.  and  Mary,  is 
a  cashier  in  the  Mass.  State  Treasury,  resides  Newton  Centre,  Mass. 

Nathan  Richmond  Marden,  son  of  Nathan  and  Susanna  (Stevens) 
Marden,  m.  1839,  Abby,  dau.  of  Dea.  Abel  Fiske  of  Wilton.  Lived  in 
Francestown  for  more  than  fifty  years;  was  a  shoemaker.     Ch. 

1.  Richmond  Fiske  of  Marblehead. 

2.  Sarah  Caroline,  m.  R.  P.  Ordway  of  Francestown. 

3.  Edwin  S.  of  Lowell. 

4.  Jennie  M.,  m.  Woodbury  P.  Hopkins  of  Francestown. 

5.  William  R.  of  New  Hampshire  Cavalry,  d.  in  Annapolis,  1863, 
from  disease  contracted  while  prisoner. 

6.  Charles  N.,  of  Lynn,  has  two  ch. 

7.  Abby  S.,  m.  Sewall  L.  Brown  of  Francestown. 

8.  Hattie  E.,  d.  at  nine  years  of  age. 

9.  Jessie  F.,  m.  Wilton  E.  Osborne  of  Petcrboro,  N.  H. 

William  S.  Marden,  son  of  Nathan  and  Susanna  (Stevens)  Marden, 
b.  Nov.  22,  1820,  m.  (1)  Eunice  Evans,  1844.  She  d.  March,  1845.  He 
m.  (2)  Harriet  M.  Trefry  of  Dedham  in  1849.  He  lived  Marblehead. 
Ch.  by  first  wife. 

1.  William  H.,  b.   March,  1845,   lives   Marblehead. 
Ch.   by   second   wife. 

2.  Louis  W.,  of  Salem,  Mass. 

3.  Arthur  of  Portland,  Me. 

George  Augustus  Marden,  son  of  Benjamin  F.  and  Betsey  (Buss) 
Marden,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  9,  1839.  Ts  editor  Lowell  Courier-Citizen 
and  United  States  Sub-Treasurer,  resides  Lowell.  For  extended  account 
see  chapter  on  "Prominent  Men,"  m.  Dec.  10,  1867,  Mary  Porter,  dau. 
Dea.  David  and  Harriet  (Nourse)  Fiske  of  Amherst.  She  was  b. 
Amherst,    Dec.    9,    1841.      Ch.    b.    Lowell. 

1.  Phillin  Sanford,  b.  Jan.  12,  1874,  m.  June,  1902,  Florence,  dau. 
Col.  Edward  Shirley  of  Goffstown,  graduated  Dartmouth,  lives  in  Lowell, 
journalist. 

2.  Robert  Fiske,  b.  June  14,  1876,  m.  June  12,  1901,  Ella  L  Pote  of 
East  Boston,  Mass.,  graduated  Dartmouth  College,  is  in  the  insurance 
business. 


110  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Samuel  K.  Marclen  of  Newton,  m.  Aug.  14,  1836,  Eliza  Ann  Young, 
dau.  of  Mrs.  Young  (sister  of  William  S.  Stinson),  Sr. 

MARVELL. 

William  Marvell  or  Marble,  b.  Lyndeboro,  lived  in  South  Dist. 
(where  D.  J.  Hutchinson  now  does)  m.  (1)  Sarah,  da  l.  I  ha  and 
Sarah  (Buxion)  Hutchinson  of  Milford;  m.  (2;  Meh.iable.  dau.  Jona- 
than and  Polly  (Baker)  Conant.  After  his  decease  she  moved  here  and 
became  the  second  wife  of  Ezekiel  Upton  in  1843.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  William,  m.  a  Miss  Whittemore  of  New  Boston,  lived  Milford; 
no  ch. 

Ch.   by   second   wife. 

2.  Eliot  C.j  b.  Feb.  9,  1809,  m.  Mary  Marvell  of  Farmington,  Me., 
settled  in  Farmington,  Me. ;  had  five  ch. 

3.  Mary  H.,  b.  Feb.  3,  1811,  m.  James  Proctor  of  Nashua,  lived  Lynn, 
Mass.,  four  ch. 

4.  *Elbridge,  b.  Feb.  23,  1813. 

5.  Nancy,  b.  Aug.  23,  1815,  m.  (l)  Frances  Lynch  of  Milford;  m  (2) 
Beri  Bennett  of  Brookline,  no  ch.,  d.  Lowell,  July  11,  1803. 

6.  Caroline,  b.  Sept.  21,  1817,  m.  (1)  Joseph  Bright  of  Pelham ; 
m.    (2)    Peter  Clark  of  Milford,  May  23,  1878,  d.   Milford,   Sept.  3,   1882. 

7.  Maria  F.,b.  June  21,  1820. 

8.  *Charles,  b.  Feb.  6,  1822. 

9.  John  B.,  b.  May  17,  1824,  d.   Sept.  15,  1861. 

10.  Henry  Franklin,  b.  Oct.  8,  1826,  settled  Farmington,  Me. 

11.  James,  b.  Sept.  20,  1828,  m.  Charlotte  Butterfield  of  Ashburnham, 
Mass.,  no  ch.,  res.  Goffstown. 

Elbridge  Marvell  son  of  William  and  Mehitable(  Conant)  Marvell, 
b.  Feb.  23,  1813,  carpenter,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  23,  1893  ;  m.  Nov.  17, 
1836,  Mary,  dau.  of  David  and  Mary  (Averill)  Smith,  b.  Mont  Vernon, 
Nov.  22,  1808,  d.  Aug.  5,  1895.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Edwin  A.,  m.  Fanny  Leach.  He  d.  Oct.  26,  1872,  age  30,  2  ch. 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  (1)  Caroline,  m.  Allie  Austin,  has  two  ch. ;  (2)  Walter 
Elbridge. 

2.  Mary  Caroline,  d.  Jan.  28,  1855,  age  16  years,  6  mos. 

Charles  Marvell,  son  of  William  and  Mehitablc  (Conant)  Marvell,  b. 
Feb,  6,  1822,  m.  Mary  Ann,  dau.  of  James  and  Huldah  (Peabody)  Hill, 
Oct.  16,  1851.  She  was  b.  Sept.  7,  1826,  d.  April  29,  1880.  Ch.  b.  Mont 
Vernon. 

1.  *William   Henry,   b.    Oct.    11,    1853. 

2.  Helen,  b.  Nov.  22,  1855,  m.  Charles  Searles,  March  12,  1878, 
lived  in  Milford  and  Nashua,  d.  Haverhill,  Dec.  27,  1899. 

3.  George  H.,  b.  Sept.  26,  1859,  d.  Jan.  5,  1861,  age  1  year,  5  mos. 

William  Henry  Marvell,  son  of  Charles  and  Mary  A.  (Hill)  Marvell, 
b.  Oct.  11,  1853,  Mont  Vernon,  m.  June  8,  1876,  Emma  J.,  dau.  Charles 
and  Clarinda  J.,  (Felch)  Foster.     She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  1,  1860. 

Josie  Leona,  b.  June  11,  1877,  m.  Jan.  31,  1900,  *Edward  W.  Trow, 
one  son. 

MAY. 

Clinton   S.  May  was  a  shoemaker  and  lived  in  the  East  District  with 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  m 

his  wife's  people.  He  m.  Elizabeth,  dau.  John  H.  and  Polly  (Johnnot) 
Bennett.  She  was  b.  March,  1839,  d.  Nov.  29,  1888.  He  d.  May  18,  1877, 
age  47  years.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Etta,  b.  Jan.  25,  18(53,  m.   1879,  *William  O.   Hill. 

2.  Grace. 

3.  Harvey. 

4.  Harrie  A.,  d.  June  2,    1877,  aged   10  months 

McCOLLOM. 

Alexander  McCollom,  with  wife  Janet,  came  from  Londonderry,  Ire., 
and  settled  in  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  about  1730.  Had  seven  ch.,  the  first 
Alexander,  m.  Elizabeth  McMurphy,  had  five  ch.,  of  whom  the  fifth  was 
Alexander,  who  retained  the  homestead  in  New  Boston,  m.  1787,  Mary, 
dau.  of  Robert  Patterson.  He  held  the  office  of  selectman  in  1809  and 
1811,  and  was  an  energetic  and  industrio.us  citizen.  He  purchased  the 
Peter  Jones  farm  in  the  North  part  of  Mont  Vernon  in  1820,  occupying 
it  until  his  death,  June  1,  1843,  age  77.  His  widow,  b.  Nov.  12,  1772,  d. 
Jan.  4,  1852,  age  79.     Ch.  b.  New  Boston. 

1.  John,  b.  April  30,  1788,  m.  Betsey  Chase,  settled  in  Claremont,  d. 
Nov.   21,   1822;   two  ch. 

2.  Robert,  b.  Nov.  24,  1789,   d.  num.  Batavia,   N.  Y.,  May  17,  1825. 

3.  Elizabeth,  b.  Aug.  30,  1791,  m.  John  McLanc  of  Francestown, 
had  ch.  viz.  Neil,  Alexander,  John,  Charles,  Rodney,  Mary  Isabel,  Nancy 
Jane,  George  W.,  Elizabeth,  Clara,   Sarah,   Helen,   Marion  and  Robert  E. 

4.  Rodney,  b.   March  27,   1793,   m.   Naomi  Wilson,  had  three  ch. 

5.  *Alexander,  b.  Feb.  5,  1795. 

6.  Fanny,  b.   Nov.   5,    1796.   d.    unm.    Clinton,    Mass..    April   6,    1882. 

7.  A  child  b.   March  12,  1798,  d.  young. 

8.  Elbridge,  b.  July  19,  1801,  m.  Mary  Jane,  dau.  Jonathan  Harvey 
of  Sutton,  lived  in   Sutton,  had  three  ch. 

9.  *Milton,  b.   March  21,   1803. 

10.  Mary,   b.   Jan.   5,    1805,   d.    Nov.    13,    1825. 

11.  Haskell,  b.  March  19,  1807,  m.  and  lived  in  Lancaster,  Mass.;  four 
ch. 

12.  Clarissa,  b.  Oct.  27,  1809,  m.  Lemuel  Marden  of  New  Boston,  no 
ch.,  d.  June  12,  1876. 

13.  George  W.  b.  Jan.  14,  1812,  d.  Aug.,  1814. 

14.  George  W,  b.  Sept.  20,  1814,  m.  Oct.  4,  1842,  Mary  Ann,  dau. 
of  Asa  and  Mary  A.  (  Applcton )  Stevens.  He  was  in  the  hanking  busi- 
ness in  Indiana  and  in  real  estate  in  New  York  City;  in  1872  endowed 
Appleton  Academy  with  $10,000,  with  the  condition  that  the  name  be 
changed  to  McCollom  Institute,  which  was  done.  He  also  endowed  an 
Episcopal  Collegj  with  the  same  sum.  He  d.  Sept.  4,  1878.  His  wife  d 
1865. 

Dr.  Alexander  McCollom,  son  of  Alexander  and  Mary  (Patterson) 
McCollom,  b.  New  Boston,  Feb.  5,  1795,  fitted  for  college  under  Rev.  E. 
P.  Bradford,  New  Boston,  and  with  Prof.  B.  Towler,  BanQor,  Me.,  studied 
medicine  at  Baneor  and  Belfast,  Me.,  and  with  Dr.  Manning  at  Merri- 
mack, N.  H.  attended  medical  lectures  at  Bowdoin  and  Dartmouth,  and 
was  in  practice  successively  at  Windsor,  Palmero  and  Pittsto^,  Me.  at 
which  place  he  d.  Nov.  10,  1884,  having  resided  there  for  23  years.  "He 
m.  Oct.  19,  1830,  a  niece  and  adopted  dau.  of  Di.  Abel  Goodrich  of  Mer- 
rimack.    Ch. 


112  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.  Mary  G.,  b.  Sept.  21,  1821,  m.  Oct.  18,  1860,  Dr.  Edward  Mead  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

2.  Abel  Goodrich,  b.  Sept.  12,  1837,  m.  Aug.  4,  1861,  Annie  J. 
Davidson  of  Wiscasset,  Me.  Had  one  son,  Edward,  who  fitted  for  col- 
lege at  McCollom  Institute,  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1892,  is  a  teacher 
in  New  Jersey. 

Milton  McCollom,  son  of  Alexander  and  Mary  (Patterson)  McCol- 
lom, b.  New  Boston,  March  31,  1803,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  31,  1852; 
was  an  inn-keeper  and  farmer;  lived  where  D.  J.  Herlehy  lives  in  East 
District.  He  m.  Sophronia,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Betsey  (Perkins)  Trow, 
June  18,  1829.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  4,  1806,  d.  Feb.  12,  1885. 
Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mary  E.,  b.  May  5,  1830,  m.  Dec.  20,  1860,  *Daniel  R.  Baker 
He  d.  July  25,  1879. 

2.  *Charles  R.,  b.  June  1,  1833. 

3.  *John    Trow.    b.    July    28,    1835. 

4.  Frances  Evelyn,  b.  Dec.  26,  1845.  m.  June  17,  1868,  *William  S. 
A.  Starrett  of  Mont  Vernon,  two  ch. 

Charles  R.  McCollom,  son  of  Milton  and  Sophronia  (Trow)  Mc- 
Collom. b.  Mont  Vernon.  June  1,  1833,  m.  (1)  Jan.  1,  1861,  Sarah  R. 
Richards  of  Goffstown,  who  d.  Aug.  15,  1876,  m.  (2)  Louise  Rundlett  of 
Bedford,  March  13,  1878,  is  a  carpenter,  resides  Goffstown.  Ch.  by 
second  wife  b.  Goffstown. 

1.  Sarah   Louise,  b.   June   15,   1879. 

2.  Marion  Sophronia,  b.   March  22,  1882. 

3.  Mary  Etta,  b.  Jan.  17,  1888. 

John  Trow  McCollom,  son  of  Milton  and  Sophronia  (Trow)  Mc- 
Collom, b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  28,  1835,  is  a  carpenter  and  teamster  and  has 
always  resided  in  town.  M.  (1)  July  14,  1866,  Emily  J.,  dau.  Dea.  Joseph 
A.  and  Maria  J.  (Bruce)  Starrett.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  14, 
1846,  d.  April  4,  1867,  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Theresa  M.  (Smith)  Christy,  widow 
Dea.  Sumner  L.  Christy  of  New  Boston,  and  dau.  of  Isaac  and  Pamelia 
(Stevens)  Smith.  She  was  b.  Deering,  Oct.  25,  1835.  Ch.  by  first  wife  b. 
Mont   Vernon. 

1.  Mary  Belle,  b.  Feb.  18,  1867,  painter,  m.  Feb.  18,  1902,  Julius 
Wurdeman  of  Chicago. 

McCRILLIS. 

Albert  B.  McCrillis  of  Lyndeboro'.  m.  Harriet  E.  Cummings.  She 
was  b.  Hancock,  July  30.  1824.  After  his  death  she  moved  to  Mont  Ver- 
non, where  she  d.  Jan.  10,  1891.     3  ch. 

1.  Ella,  1).  East  Rindge,  Nov.  19,  1848,  m.  George  E.  Boutell,  1868, 
resides  Mont  Vernon. 

2.  Edwin  A.,  m.  April  29,  1891,  Sarah  W.,  dau.  John  Erastus  and 
Sarah  J.  (Whittemore)  Bruce,  was  a  merchant  in  Milford,  d.  Milford, 
Jan.   9,   1902. 

3.  Harriet   E.,   milliner,   res.   Nashua. 

McGOWN. 
Rev.    Richard   H.    McGcvvn,   b.    North   Ellsworth,    Ale.,    May   13.   1850, 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  113 

educated  principally  at  the  Easton  State  Normal  School.  Became  a 
preacher  of  the  Maine  Methodist  Conference,  and  as  such  was  stationed 
at  Dover,  Tremont  and  Pembroke.  March  7,  1882,  he  was  ordained  as  a 
Congregational  minister  at  Harrington,  Me.,  was  acting  pastor  at  Tur- 
ner, Me.,  from  Dec,  1883  to  Nov.,  1885,  and  at  Mont  Vernon  from  Dec, 
1885  to  Feb.  26,  1888.  Was  two  years  each  at  Cornish,  Me.,  and  North- 
wood,  N.  H.  Was  pastor  of  a  Congregational  church  in  Everett,  Mass., 
where  he  d.     He  m.  Abby  F.  Rowe  of  Ellsworth,  Me.,  ch. 

1.  Ruth  M.,  b.  1870. 

2.  Ralph  S.,  b.  1877. 

3.  Anna  E.,  b.  June,  1879. 

4.  Roy,  b.  Dec.  4,  1880. 

AIcQUESTION. 

Hugh  N.  McQuestion,  b.  Merrimack,  Feb.  14,  1805,  lived  on  the 
farm  where  Martin  L.  Wheeler  now  lives  in  the  East  District,  d.  Feb.  13, 
1889,  age  84;  removed  to  farm  near  East  School.  He  m.  Sarah  F. 
Hartshorn  of  Merrimack,  April  2,  1829.  She  d.  Oct.  18,  1877,  age  72 
years,  11  months,  19  days.     She  was  b.  Oct.  29,  1804.    Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Henry  N.,  b.  Feb.  15,  1830,  m.  Hattie  Hunt,  enlisted  in  the  Fifth 
N.  H.  Regt.  in  the  Civil  War,  d.  diseased,  Newport  News,  Va.,  June  8, 
1862,   one   son,   Fred. 

2.  *Thomas  H.,  b.   May  8,  1832. 

3.  Nathan  P.,  d.  March  26,  1842,  age  7  yrs.,  5  mos. 

4.  Harriet  J.,  d.  March  13,  1846,  age  10  yrs.,  2  mos. 

5.  Sarah  F.,  b.  Feb.  23,  1844,  m.  May  8,  1873,  Wm.  W.  Grafton, 
Friendship,  Me.,  res.   Milford,  d.  Milford,  Nov.  12,  1886;  one  dau. 

6.  Mary  A.,  b.  Feb.  2,  1846,  d.  unm.  Milford,  Dec.  19,  1893. 

Thomas  H.  McQuestion,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  8,  1832,  son  Hugh 
M.  and  Sarah  F.  (Hartshorn)  McQuestion.  Lived  on  his  father's  farm 
near  East  School  in  East  District,  d.  there  Aug.  26,  1896,  m.  July  4,  1861, 
Hannah  P.,  dau.  Stephen  and  Hannah  Gage  of  Amherst.  She  was  b. 
1838,   res.    Goffstown.     Ch.   b.    Mont  Vernon. 

1.  George  N.,  b.  Dec.  2,  1862,  m.  Addie  S.  Grant  of  Goffstown, 
April  28,  1891,  who  d.  April  30,  1897,  m.  (2)  Nov.  28,  1900,  Carrie  A. 
Richards ;   carpenter,   res.  Goffstown ;   one  ch.,   Ruth   E.,  b.   Nov.   16,   1892. 

2.  William  P.,  b.  Sept.  1.  1867,  m.  Nov.  6,  1885,  Edith  Richards  of 
New  Boston  ;  two  ch.,  Ethel  and  Geo.  R.,  res.  Merrimack. 

3.  Bertha  S.,  b.  Dec.  13,  1868,  m.  Jan.,  1885,  Truman  Parker,  res. 
Lowell,   Mass. 

4.  Marv  J.,  b.  June  10,  1876,  m.  Dec.  31,  1896,  James  E.  Venio ;  one 
ch.,  Arthur  E,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  23,  1897,  res.  South  Weare,  N.  H. 

MILLS. 

Capt.  John  Mills,  the  first  of  the  family  of  six  generations  to  the 
present  day,  was  b.  in  Scotland.  He  is  first  found  in  Amherst,  N.  H., 
where  he  was  married  and  settled  in  the  Northwest  Parish  (now  Mont 
Vernon).  He  is  mentioned  twelve  times  in  Secombe's  History  of  Am- 
herst, and  several  times  subsequently  in  petitions  to  prevent  the  settle- 
ment of  a  minister  at  Amherst  Plain,  insomuch  as  the  Northwest  Parish 
was  without  a  Christian  Church.  On  page  209  John  Mills  is  mentioned 
as   giving   one   shilling,    four   pence   toward    defraying   the    expenses   of   a 


114  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

delegate  to  the  first  Provincial  Congress  at  Exeter.  John  Mills  served 
in  Col.  John  Hart's  Co.  at  Crown  Point  in  1758,  and  in  Col.  John  Goffe's 
Co.  at  Crown  Point  in  1760  in  the  French  and  Indian  War.  He  was 
sergeant  in  Col.  Reed's  Regt.,  Capt.  Crosby's  Co.  at  Bunker  Hill,  was 
Second  Lieut,  in  Col.  T.  Bedell's  Regt.  Dec,  1775.  Joined  army  in  New 
York  to  march  northward  to  Canada,  surrendered  by  Maj.  Butterfield 
to  the  British  and  Indians  at  "The  Cedars,"  was  stripped  and  ran  the 
gauntlet;  May  19,  1776,  exchanged  and  went  to  Crown  Point.  John 
Mills  was  First  Lieut,  in  Col.  Stark's  Regt.,  Col.  John  Bradford's  Co., 
at  Battle  of  Bennington,  was  first  company  to  attack.  He  went  to  Rhode 
Island  in  1778  under  Col.  Nichols  and  Col.  Josiah  Crosby. 

In  autumn  of  1781,  Capt.  John  Mills  led  a  company  to  Charlestown, 
N.  H,  to  protect  our  frontier.  The  fighting  done,  Capt.  John  went  to 
Winham,  Vt.,  a  place  with  which  he  was  well  pleased,  having  passed 
through  it  in  his  army  marches,  and  settled  with  his"  family  there  for  the 
rest  of  his  life,  dying  in  1812,  living  there  less  than  eight  years. 

He  came  to  Mont  Vernon  prior  to  the  Revolution,  and  made  a  home- 
stead on  the  farm  afterwards  known  as  the  Cloutman  place,  now  occupied 
by  Hon.  Charles  J.  Smith.  He  lived  here  until  about  1804,  as  there 
is  no  record  of  his  living  elsewhere.  He  was  an  active  and  prominent 
citizen  of  the  then  Northwest  Parish.  He  m.  Keziah  Lyon  about  1765. 
She  d.  in  Windham,  Vt.,  in  1824.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Abigail,   b.   Aug.    1,    1766.  m.  Witherspoon,    removed   to 

Maine,  where  she  d. 

2.  *Ebenezer,  b.  April  23,  1770. 

3.  *John,  b.  April  24,  1772. 

4.  Keziah,  b.  June  11,  1774,  m.  Jonathan  Sherwin,  moved  to  Land- 
grove,  Vt,  and  d.  there. 

5.  Betsey,  m.  John  Dudley,  they  removed  to  Windham,  Vt.  She 
afterward  removed  to  Canada  with  her  son  and  d.  there. 

Ebenezer  Mills,  son  Capt.  John  and  Keziah  (Lyon)  Mills,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  April  23,  1770,  m.  Hannah  W.,  dau.  Ezekiel  and  Hannah 
(Washer)  Upton  of  Mont  Vernon,  left  his  family  with  his  son,  Ebenezer. 
Jr.,  20  years  of  age,  went  to  Bellows  Falls,  Vt.,  to  work.  While  there 
he 'enlisted  in  the  War  of  1812  from  Rockingham,  Vt.  He  d.  in  the  army 
at  Burlington,  Vt.,  in  1812.  His  wife  d.  in  Milford,  Sept.  20,  1856,  aged 
83  years.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *Ebenezer. 

2.  Abigail,  m.  Daniel  Bullard  of  Hyde  Park,  Vt..  had  two  boys  and 
three  girls,  and  d.  Hyde  Park. 

3.  Annie  or  Rosanna,  m.  John  Bullard,  lived  in  Mont  Vernon,  three 
ch.,  Abbie,  Edward  and  John. 

4.  *Ezekial,  b.  Feb.  23,  1800. 

5.  Hannah,  m.  Dennis  Holden  of  Milford.  She  d.  Dec.  6,  1870, 
age  68  years,  5  months;  six  ch. 

6  Lavina,  b.  Dec.  3,  1805,  d.  April  6,  1889,  m.  *Asa  Wetherbee  of 
Mont'  Vernon,'  May  1.  1824.     Ch.  fU.     .     .     ... 

7.  Salome,  b.  April  27,  1807,  m.  Gary  W.  Ober  of  Hyde  Park,  Vt., 
d.   Sept.   14,   1883.     He  d.   Sept.   2,   1857.     Ch. 

1      Hannah,  m.  James  Hunt,  has  two  ch.  lives  Montana. 

2.  Emily,  m.  Geo.  V  Tarleton,  two  ch.,  son  Geo.,  res.  Nashua. 

3.  Harriet,  d.  at  18. 

4.  Everett,   m.   Emma   McCauley   of  New   Boston,   d.    Suncook,   one 

dau.,  Etta. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  115 

5.  Jennie  D.,  b.  Aug.  6,  1840,  m.  Kneeland  C.  White,  res.  Mont 
Vernon. 

6.  Helen  L.,  b.  July  25,  1842,  m.  (1)  John  Whipple  of  New  Boston; 
m.  (2)  William  Stevens  of  Mont  Vernon,  res.  Mont  Vernon. 

7.  Alma  J.,  m.  Charles  Spencer  of  Pittsford,  Vt,  d.  Milford ;  one 
dau.,  Mabel  A.,  lived  Mont  Vernon ;  14  years  teacher. 

8.  John,  b.  Feb.  2,  1810,  m.  (1)  Sarah  Putnam,  dau.  Aaron  K.  Put- 
nam of  Wilton,  1835,  lived  in  Wilton,  came  to  Milford  and  engaged  in 
boot  and  shoe  manufacture  till  1863,  when  he  engaged  in  coopering  and 
farming.  Was  a  zealous  antislavery  man  and  Unitarian.  His  wife  d. 
1855.  By  her  he  had  one  dau.,  Sarah,  who  m.  Hon.  Charles  H.  Burns 
of  Wilton,  and  two  sons.  He  m.  (2)  1858,  Alvina  Davis  of  Temple,  by 
whom  he  had  three  sons  and  one  dau.     He  d.   March,   1892. 

9.  Aaron,  b.  April,  1812,  m.  Almira  Bullard  of  Brookline,  lived  in 
Milford,  was  a  boot  manufacturer,  farmer  and  cooper.  He  d.  Aug.  5, 
1893.  His  wife  d.  July  24,  1892.  Six  ch.,  only  one  living  now  (1903), 
Mrs.  Geo.  V.  Tarleton. 

John  Mills,  son  Capt.  John  and  Keziah  (Lyon)  Mills,  b.  Mont  Ver- 
non, April  24,  1772,  m.  Ednah  Wilkins.  He  went  to  Nova  Scotia  to  work 
upon  a  church,  received  his  pay  and  started  for  home,  which  he  never 
reached,  was  presumably  murdered  for  his  money.  The  story  handed 
down  is  that  a  body  was  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Lowell,  thought  to  br. 
that  of  John  Mills.     Ch.  were: 

1.  Polly,  b.  Jan.  16,  1793. 

2.  Hezekiah,  b.  Dec.  15.  1795. 

Ebenezer  Mills,  Jr.,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Hannah  W.  (Upton)  Mills, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  4,  1792,  enlisted  from  Rockingham,  Vt.,  War  of 
1812,  m.  (1)  Lovia  P.  Holden  of  Brookline,  N.  H.,  lived  in  Grafton,  Vt., 
where  nine  ch.  were  born.  She  d.  June,  1829.  He  then  lived  in  Herki- 
mer, N.  Y.j  coming  to  Milford  in  1844,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  as 
a  carpenter  the  rest  of  his  days.  He  m.  (2)  Jan.  10,  1830,  Fanny  Park 
of  Grafton,  Vt.,  had  three  sons  by  this  wife.  She  d.  in  Milford,  Aug.  S, 
1864,  aged  66  years.  8  months.  Ch.  bv  first  wife  b.  Grafton,  Vt.,  all  but 
oldest : 

1.  Alphonse  T.,  b.  Weston,  Vt.,  July  9,  1816,  d.  June  5,  1818. 

2.  Ebenezer  U.,  b.  Grafton,  Feb.  23,  1818,  lived  in  Boston,  Mass., 
from  boyhood,  m.  Sarah  Stevens  in  1844.  who  d.  1883.  He  d.  June  12, 
1882;  one  ch. 

3.  Maria  A.,  b.  Feb.  15,  1819,  m.  Lucius  W.  Woodard  of  Stratton, 
Vt,  d.  Manhattan,  Kan.,  Dec.  25,  1891;  had  four  ch. 

4.  Hannah,  b.  Oct.  16,  1820,  m.  John  Mclntire  of  Waterboro,  Me., 
about  1844.  She  lived  in  Wilton  and  Boston,  where  she  d.  April  10, 
1849 ;    four  ch. 

5  John  Frank,  b.  June  22,  1822.  Went  to  Boston,  was  hotel-keeper, 
was  proprietor  of  the  Parker  House  from  1872  to  1876.  He  d.  April  9. 
1876.    Wife  d.  Feb.,  1864;  eight  ch. 

6.  Zenophon  E.,  b.  Oct.  18,  1823.  Went  to  Milford,  N.  H.,  m.  Har- 
riet Russell  Melzer  of  Milford,  employed  in  J.  &  A.  Mills  shoe  factory, 
was  a  quarryman,  served  three  years  as  private  in  Co.  C,  8th  N.  H.  Regt., 
N.  H.  Volunteers;  four  ch. 

7.  Marion  R,  b.  June  25,  1825,  d.  June  9,  1829. 

8.  Corydon  S.,  b.  Nov.  10,  1826,  followed  the  sea  for  nine  years  on 
a  whaler,   went   to  the   California   gold  mines   about    1850,    m.    and   was 


116  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

killed  Jan.  22,   1858,  by  a  Uba  mountain  sliding. 

9.  Loisa,  b.  Jan.  2,  1829,  d.  March  5,  1832. 
Ch.  by  second  wife  b.  Grafton. 

10.  John  Avery,  b.  Dec.  14,  1830,  m.  Emma  Wheeler.  Had  one  son 
Edgar,  who  d.  young.  Was  mill  owner  in  Nashua  and  Manchester  and 
shoe  dealer  in  Penacook,  Medford,  Mass.,  and  Milford,  where  he  d  Tune 
20,  1899.     One  adopted  dau.,  Harriet. 

11.  George  Edgar,  b.  Oct.  27,  1833,  followed  sea  seven  years,  lives 
Medford,  Mass.,  m.  Frances,  dau.  James  and  Mary  J.  (Patch)  Hopkins 
of  Mont  Vernon ;   four  ch. 

12.  Henry  Martin,  b.  Dec.  28,  1837,  Lieut,  in  Co.  C,  Second  N.  H. 
Regt.  Vol.,  in  Civil  War,  m.  Nellie  Jewett  of  Nashua,  lived  in  Nashua 
and  Lowell ;  one  son. 

Ezekiel  Mills,  son  of  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  and  Hannah  W.  (Upton)  Mi'ls, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  23,  1800,  m.  Betsey  Holt  of  Lyndeboro,  lived  in 
Windham,  Vt.,  and  in  Milford,  was  Milfcrd  tax  collector  12  years,  clerk 
in  store  and  kept  boarding  house.  His  wife  d.  Jan.  3,  1869.  He  d'  June 
18,  1881,  Milford.     Had  two  dau.,  Sarah  R.,  m.  Charles  Buxton. 

MITCHELL. 

Joshua  Mitchell,  m.  April  30,  1818,  Mehitable  Codman,  dau.  Thomas 
and  Tabitha  (Wilkins)  Gilmore  of  Mont  Vernon.  They  lived  where  A. 
W.  Bragg  does.  He  was  a  mechanic  and  moved  to  Woodstock,  Vt.,  where 
they  d.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Sarah  Mehitable,  b.  Jan.  24,  1819. 

2.  Thomas  Gilmore,  b.  Nov.  19,  1820,  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege, was  a  Congregational  clergyman  in   Maine. 

NICHOLS. 

Jacob  Nichols,  son  of  Ensign  S.  and  Sarah  (Dinsmore)  Nichols,  b. 
Londonderry.  June  23,  1822.  Mr.  Nichols  came  to  Mont  Vernon  about 
1859,  lived  on  the  Reilly  place  on  the  turnpike,  then  on  the  old  poor  farm. 
From  1867  to  1871  he  lived  on  the  farm  in  the  South  Dist.,  now  owned 
by  Daniel  Richardson,  then  in  the  village  where  A.  W.  Bragg,  now  lives. 
He  is  a  farmer,  was  formerly  a  merchant.  Married  (1)  Sept.,  1847,  Ara- 
bella E.  Y.,  dau.  of  Henry  Demeritt,  b.  in  Boston,  Mass.,  Feb.  22,  1822, 
and  d.  in  Mont  Vernon,  March,  1870;  m.  (2)  Sept.  24,  1872,  Georgia 
E.  Hall,  widow  of  James  Hall  and  dau.  of  Griffin  and  Elizabeth  (Stevens) 
Wilson,  b.  in  Nelson,  Aug.  4,  1842,  and  d.  in  Milford,  July  6,  1900.     Ch. 

1.  Fannie  Arabella,  b.  in  Manchester,  Feb.  21,  1850,  m.  March  22, 
1877,  Ellis  H.  Williams  of  Easton,  Mass.,  and  res.  in  Hyde  Park,  Mass. 

2.  Henrv  James,  b.  in  Manchester,  Jan.  7.  1854,  is  assistant  cashier 
in  Souhegan  National  Bank  and  res.  in  Milford;  m.  June  13,  1883,  Nellie 
M.  Newman,  widow  of  Henry  A.  Newman  nnd  dau.  of  George  A.  and 
Diana  (Woods)   Graves  of  Cambridgenort,  Ma=s. 

3.  Carrie  Maud,  b.  in  Milford,  May  22,  1874,  m.  June  28,  1891,  Clar- 
ence A.,  son  of  John  A.  and  Ella  (Richards)  Lovejoy  of  Milford:  rer  in 
Concord  Junction,   Mass. 

NEWMAN. 

Moses  Newman  lived  on  James  Reilly  place,  northeast  of  where  Chas. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  117 

H.  Trow  now  lives,  in  North  Dist.  He  d.  March  22,  1846,  aged  70.  His  first 
wife,  Polly,  d.  Aug.  21,  1825,  age  40.  His  second  wife,  Abigail  R.,  d. 
May  12,  1860,  aged  77  years,  3  months.  She  was  originally  Abigail 
Haseltine    (sister   John    Haseltine)    of    Amherst.     She    m.    (1)    Lt.    John 

Weston,  Sent.  27,  1802.  He  was  killed  by  the  falling  of  a  mill-stone  in 
1810.  She  had  live  ch.  by  Lt.  Weston.  She  m.  Moses  Newman,  Jan. 
31,    1826. 

NUTTER. 

Benjamin  Nutter,  sou  of  John  and  Hannah  (Dennett)  Nutter,  b. 
Barnstead,  N.  11..  came  to  Mont  Vernon  in  the  thirties,  engaged  in  the 
business  of  manufacturing  organs.  He  removed  to  Belleville,  Canada. 
He  m.  Sarah,  dan.  Benjamin  Nathan  and  Sarah  (  Bancroft)  Jones.  Ch  b. 
Mont  Vernon. 

1.  George,  m.,  not  livinp    lived  in  Belleville    Canada. 

2.  Charles,  m.,   lives   Toronto,   Canada. 

3.  Annette,  m. Booth,   lived  in  Belleville,  Canada,  not  living. 

John  D.  Nutter,  son  of  John  and  Hannah  (Dennett)  Nutter,  b.  Barn- 
stead,  N.  H.,  1811.  He  learned  the  trade  of  a  cabinet  maker  in  Ro.-hester, 
N.  H„  and  after  attaining  his  majority  came  to  Mont  Vernon,  where  his 
elder  brother,  Benjamin  Nutter  had  settled  and  engaged  in  the  business 
of  manufacturing  organs  tor  nearly  ten  years.  In  1 S44  lie  removed  to 
Nashua  and  here  pursued  the  same  industry  some  four  years,  returning 
to  Mont  Vernon  in  1848  and  remaining  until  1  853,  when  he  went  to  Attica, 
Ind.,  and  engaged  in  a  banking  business.  In  1855  he  sold  out  his  busi- 
ness and  returned  to  New  Hampshire  and  for  one  or  two  years  was  a 
merchant  at  Nashua,  removing  thence  to  Montreal,  where  he  resided 
some  31  years,  extensively  engaged  in  the  lumber  business.  In  1888  he 
removed  to  Maiden,  Mass..  where  he  d.  Jan.  in,  1890,  age  78  years. 
Aug.  8,  1844.  he  m.  Harriet  A.,  dan.  Asa  and  Mary  A.  (Appleton)  Stevens 
of  Mont  Vernon.      She  was  b.   Mont  Vernon,  May  22,  1821;  res.   Montreal. 

1.  John  Appleton,  b.  Nashua.  July  is,  l S4(>.  m.  Kathcrine  Howard  of 
Hardwick,  Mass.,  has  rive  ch..  res.  Montreal. 

2.  Asa,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  d.  unm.  at  33  yrs.  of  age. 

3.  Dr.  William  D..  b.  Montreal,  in.  Charlotte  Bartlett  of  Maiden, 
res.  Maiden,   Mass.,  physician;  one  dan. 

O'BRIEN. 

John  O'Brien,  son  of  Patrick  and  Mary  (Magncr)  O'Brien,  born  in 
Limerick.  Ireland,  in  1837.  Was  a  farm  r.  Lned  here  about  15  years,  on 
the  Purgatory  Road,  in  a  house  now  burnt  down.  He  removed  to  Mil- 
ford  in  1870^  where  he  d.,  June  30,  1889.  Married  Catherine,  dau.  of 
James  and  Margaret  (Fox)  Ryan,  b.  in  Country  Cork,  Ireland.     Ch. 

1.  James  F.,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  Nov.   15,   1856,  d.  here  Dec.,  1865. 

2.  Thomas  C.  b.   Mont  Vernon,  Aug.,   1859,  d.  here  Dec,   1861 

3.  John   P.,  b.    Mont  Vernon   in   1860,   d.   here  Jan.,    1862. 

4.  Joseph  T.  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July.  1862,  res.  Milford ;  is  a  farmer; 
m.  Nov.  18,  1896,.  Mary  A.,  dau.  of  Jeremiah  and  Anistatia  (Splain) 
Calnan  of  Woburn,  Mass. 

5.  George  N.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  15,  1867,  d.  Milford,  April  4, 
1881. 

6.  Mary  R,  b.  Milford,  Jan.  10,  1872. 


118  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

ODELL. 

William  Odell  was  a  resident  of  Souhegan  West  as  early  as  1759. 
Lived  on  the  farm  owned  by  John  Hazen,  in  West  District,  d.  March, 
1812,  age  85.  He  m.  Phebe  Boutelle.  She  d.  Jan.  24,  1817,  age  85.  Ch. 
were: 

1.  Phebe,  b.  1750,  m.  David  Duncklee.     She  d.  Jan.  6,  1839. 

2.  *William.  b.  1752. 

3.  Martha,  b.  Aug.  6,  1754,  m.  John  Lovejoy  about  1775. 

4.  Ebenezer,  b.   May  22,  1750,  m.   Sarah  Johnson,   May  29,  1782. 

5.  John,  b.  Dec.  4,  1761,  m.  Edith  Nourse,  d.  Nov.  5,  1844;  nine  ch. 

William  Odell,  Jr.,  son  of  William  and  Phebe  (Boutelle)  Odell  of 
Amherst,  b.  1752,  d.  Aug.  26,  1829,  m.  Susannah,  dau.  Capt  Hezekiah  and 
Hannah  (Phelps)  Lovejoy  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  July  25,  1756,  d. 
March  17,  1831.     Lived  on  his  father's  farm.     Ch. 

1.  Susannah,  b.  Nov.  9,  1774,  d.  unm.   Sept.  28,  1813. 

2.  William,  b.  Feb.  23,  1777,  d.  Nov.  7,  1850;  had  three  ch. 

3.  Hannah,  b.   Aug.  9,   1779.  d.   Feb.   11,   1781. 

4.  Hannah,  b.   May  23,   1783,  d.   Jan.   5,   1830. 

5.  *Luther,  b.  Sept.  9,  1785. 

6.  Betsey,  b.  Sept.  28,  1787,  m.  Jacob  Hildreth,  Jr.,  of  Amherst, 
May   15.   1807,  d.   Aug.   27.    1850;   five  ch. 

7.  Polly,  b.  Oct.  13,  ITS'.),  m.  Henry  Howard  in  1809,  d.  Nov.  6,  1875; 
had  12  ch. 

Luther  Odell,  son  William,  Jr.,  and  Susannah  (Lovejoy)  Odell,  b. 
Amherst,  Sept.  9,  1785,  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  John  Hazen  in 
West  District,  d.  there  July  6,  1862.  He  m.  March  16,  1806,  Betsey,  dau. 
Amos  and  Keturah  (Stewart)  Green.  She  was  b.  Amherst,  Oct.  15,  1783, 
d.  Mont  Vernon.  Dec.   18.   1868.     Ch.  b. 

1.  Charles,  b.  Amherst,  June  5,  1806,  m.  Maria  J.  Roberts  of  Wake- 
field. N.  H.,  June  24,  1834,  d.   Biddeford,  Me.;  had  eight  ch. 

2.  *William,  b.  Amherst,  July  13,  1808. 

3.  *Luther,   b.    Amherst,   July    18,    1816. 

4.  Orinda  Felton,  1).  Amherst,  Feb.  19,  1819;  m.  (1)  Josiah  Upton, 
Jan.  2,  1842;  m.  (2)  Jan.  10,  1849,  *Capt  William  Osborn  Lamson.  She 
d.  Nov.  24,  1874. 

5.  Susan,  b.  Goffstown.  July  16,  1821,  m.  Nov.  15,  1845,  Francis 
Brown  of  Lowell ;  had  two  ch.,  a  son  and  dau. 

6.  Harriet,  b.  May  21,  1827,  at  Mont  Vernon,  m.  Dec.  23,  1848,  George 
Jones  of  Durham,  N.  H. ;  three  ch. 

William  Odell,  b.  Amherst,  July  13,  1808,  son  of  Luther  and  B. 
(Green)  Odell,  lived  on  his  father's  farm  in  Mont  Vernon,  moved  to 
Petrosky,  Mich.,  where  he  d.,  Jan.  10,  1884;  m.  Mary  Ann  Kingsbtny  »f 
Dedham,  Mass.  She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  July  5,  1877,  aged  59  yrs.,  4  mos. 
Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mary,  b.  Jan.  13,  1838,  d.  Jan.  15,  1838. 

2.  William,  b.  Dec.  1,  1842,  d.  same  day. 

3.  Luther,  b.  1844,  m.  Mrs.  Green  of  Vermont,  lives  Petrosky,  Mich. 

Luther  Odell,  son  of  Luther  and  Betsey  (Green)  Odell,  b.  Amherst, 
July  18,  1816.  Lived  in  Mont  Vernon,  Lyndeboro,  Bennington  and  Han- 
cock, where  he  d.  Feb.  13,  1887.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  built  the  body 
of  the  house  in   Mont  Vernon  Village,  now  occupied  as  a  summer  resi- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  119 

dence  by  John  F.  Colby,  m.  March  21,  1844,  Susan,  dau.  Jotham  and  Ruth 
(Cloutman)  Richardson. 

1.  Susan  Annette,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  12,  1845,  d.  Lyndeboro,  Dec. 
24,  1859. 

2.  William  Haskell,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  22,  1848,  m  Josie  S. 
Kimball  of  Bennington,  Dec.  7,  1875,  lives  Bennington;  ch. :  (1)  Fred 
Wilton,  b.  March  11,  1877;   (2)   Ethel  May,  b.  Dec.  24,  1832. 

3.  Hattie  Elizabeth,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  11,  1848.  d.  Wilton,  Aug. 
15,  1864. 

Ebenezer  Odell,  Sr.,  d.  1824,  age  75. 

Ebenezer  Odell,  Jr..  m.  Esther  Langdell,  June  5,  1807. 

ORDWAY. 

Daniel  Ordway,  b.  Pelham,  N.  H.,  April  5,  1813,  m.  Nancy  B.,  dau. 
Ezra  and  Rebecca  (Langdell)  Langdell.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept 
28,  1812,  d.  She  res.  Francestown.  He  came  to  V<  nt  Vernon  •  rch  ^e 
one-half  of  the  farm  now  occupied  by  George  F.  Tarbell,  and  lived  there 
until  1859,  when  he  purchased  a  farm  in  the  east  part  of  Francestown, 
where  he  resided  until  his  death,  April  19,  1900.  He  was  a  pious  man 
and  much  respected.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Nancy. 

2.  Frances  Rebecca. 

3.  Henrietta. 

PARKER. 

Lieut.  Robert  Parker  and  wife,  Penelope,  both  from  Andover,  Mass., 
settled  in  the  extreme  south  part  of  the  town,  where  Charles  H.  Ray- 
mond did  live,  before  the  Revolution.  He  d.  Mont  Vernon,  April,  1805, 
age  73.     Ch. 

1.  William,  b.  April  26,  1757,  Revolutionary  soldier 

2.  *Robert,  b.  Sept.  3,  1759. 

3.  Rachel,  b.  Oct.   19,  1761. 

4.  Deborah,  b.  May  3,  1764. 

5.  *Benjamin,  b.  March  18,  1766 

6.  Penelope,  b.  July  23,  1768. 

Robert  Parker,  son  of  Robert  and  Penelope  Parker,  b.  Sept.  3,  1759, 
m.  Sept.  11,  1783,  Rebecca,  dau.  Dea.  Oliver  and  Amy  (Washer)  Carle- 
ton  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b.  Jan.  21,  1764.  They  moved  to  Barre,  Vt., 
from  Mont  Vernon  in  1805  and  d.  there.  He  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier. 
Ch.  all  probably  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Robert,  m.  Fanny  Batchelder,  dau.  Ebenezer  and  Elizabeth  T.  S. 
Batchelder,  May  29,  1806.  She  was  b.  July  8,  1785,  moved  to  Landgrove, 
Vt. 

2.  Stephen  lived  in  Newport,  N.  H,  was  a  highly  respected  and 
prominent  citizen,  was  Representative  from  that  town. 

3.  Oliver. 

4.  Carlton,  settled  in  Andover,  Mass.,  m.  a  Miss  Abbott,  left  five 
ch.  viz:  Carlton,  George  H.,  Charles  S.,  Mary  and  Martha. 

5.  George. 

6.  John. 

7.  Enoch. 


120  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

The  daughters : 

8.  Mary   (Mrs.  Damon  of  Pembroke   Mass.). 

9.  Lucy   (Mrs.  Hewitt  of  Bar  re,  Vt). 

10.  Hannah  (Mrs.  Davis  of  Barre,  VO 

11.  Emma,  unm. 

12.  Sarah,  lived  Brewer,  Me 

Capt.  Benjamin  Parker,  son  Robert  and  Penelope  Parker,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  March  18,  1766,  d.  Jan.,  1826;  m.  Oct.  10,  1794,  Betsey,  dau. 
Joseph  and  Patience  (Bradford)  Lovejoy  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  d.  Am- 
herst,  Sept.  25,  1859,  was  b.  in  1772.     Ch. 

1.  Nancy,  m.  Moses  B.  Stewart  of  Amherst,  May,  1825,  d.  Bluffville, 
111.,  Sept.,  1855,  aged  59  years,  4  months. 

2.  Joseph,  d.  Dec.  26,  1823,  aged  19. 

3.  Arethusa,  d.  Sept.,  1830,  age  25. 

4.  Thomas  J.,  d.  March  21,  1837,  age  30,  m. 

5.  Lucretia,  d.  April,  1834,  aged  18. 

6.  Samuel,  went  West. 

Caesar  Parker  (of  colored  blood)  was  from  Weare,  lived  in  a  small 
house  in  the  South  part  of  the  town  several  years,  m.  Margaret  Spear  of 
Weare.  She  d.  Feb.  24,  1854,  age  85  yrs. ;  had  several  ch.  He  d.  1855,  age 
99  yrs. 

Nathaniel,  b.  1802,  went  to  live  with  David  McCauley  of  Antrim  in 
1809,  became  a  respected  citizen  of  the  town,  d.  there  unm. 

Humphrey  Moore,  d.  June  28,  1861,  age  53  years  and  9  months 

Mark. 

Ross. 

There  were  two  dau.,  one  m.  a  Baptist  clergyman  of  Newport,  R.  I. 

James,  d.  Dec.  4,  1839,  age  27. 

Granville  Parker  came  from  Nelson,  lived  on  the  Joseph  H.  Tarbell 
farm  and  on  farm  now  owned  by  Estate  of  E.  C.  Flanders,  southeast  of 
the  village.  He  moved  to  Deering.  He  m.  Elizabeth,  dau.  Elisha  and 
Betsey  (Temple)   Swinnington  of  Mont  Vernon.     She  d. 

Ira  A.,  m.  Harriet,  dau.  John  J.  and  Sarah  (Hopkins)  Carson.  She 
d.  June  26,  1881,  age  28.     He  m    (2)   Miss  Case;  lives  Deering. 

Elbridge  Parker,  b.  New  Boston,  March  27,  1815,  son  of  William  and 
Martha  (Fox)  Parker,  m.  Nov.,  1844,  Hannah  Elizabeth  Fillebrown,  b. 
Lexington,  Mass.,  July  29,  1819,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  March  11,  1898.  They 
lived  three  years  in  Mass.,  then  bought  the  John  Fairfield  farm  in  New 
Boston  and  lived  there  until  1885,  when  they  moved  to  Mont  Vernon.  He 
d.  June  12,  1886. 

1.  Henry  Herbert,  b.   March   12,  1846,   d.   unm.    May,   1871. 

2.  Mary  Frances,  b.  New  Boston,  May  27,  1851,  m.  Nov.  3,  1875, 
♦George  N.  Foster  of  Mont  Vernon,  who  d.  May  12,  1881.  She  d.  Mont 
Vernon,  Oct.  22,  1892;  one  dau.,  Annie  P.  Foster,  b.  Nov.  17,  1880. 

3.  Charles  A,  b.  Sept.  6,  1856,  in  New  Boston ;  lives  Arlington,  Mass., 
unm. 

4.  Lizzie  R.,  b.  New  Boston,  Nov.  9,  1861,  lives  Mont  Vernon,  unm. 

PEABODY. 
Col.  Stephen  Peabody,  son  of  William  and  Rebecca  (Smith)  Peabody, 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  121 

b.  Sept.  3,  1742,  m.  Hannah,  dau.  of  Thomas  and  Hannah (  Goffe)  Chan- 
dler of  Bedford,  in  1763.  She  d.  in  Montpelier,  Vt.,  Aug.,  1826,  age  79 
years.  He  was  Adjutant  of  Col.  Reed's  Regiment  in  the  Battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  aid  to  Gen.  Stark  at  Bennington  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  commanding 
a  battalion  sent  to  Rhode  Island  in  1778.  The  cellar  of  his  Lrge  mansion 
on  Purgatory  Hill,  one  mile  and  one-half  west  of  Mont  Vernon  Village 
can  still  be  seen,  lie  d.  Sept.  19,  1780.  Inscription  on  his  tombstone  in 
Mont  Vernon  Cemetery  : 

"In  memory  of  Col.  Stephen  Peabodv  who,  after  he  had  displayed 
his  martial  abilities  in  the  service  of  his  country  d.  at  home,  1782,  age  38. 
Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Thomas,  b.  Feb.  15,  1764.  m.  (1)  Sarah  Perkins,  March  10,  1785; 
m.  (2)  Mrs.  Bird,  a  sister  of  Gen.  James  Miller.  He  settled  in  Vermont. 
Near  the  close  of  the  war  for  Independence  he  was  surgeon  in  a  regiment 
commanded   by   Col.    Evans. 

2.  Dr.  John,  1>.  May  17, 1766,  m.  Keziah  Hubbard,  located  Salem,  Mass., 
had  three  ch. 

3.  Hannah,  b.  July  2,  1768,  in.  *Enoch  Carleton  of  Amherst;  had 
four   ch. 

4.  Rebecca,  b.  July  17,  1770.  She  was  a  physician  and  surgeon,  m. 
Gen.  Perlev  Davis  of  Montpelier,  Yt.,  Nov.  4,  1794,  d.  in  East  Montpelier, 
Feb.   5,   1853. 

5.  Stephen,  b.  Aug.  23,  1772,  m.  Martha,  dau.  Joseph  and  Martha 
(Dodge)  Trow  of  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  6,  1795.  She  was  b.  March  13, 
1772.     He  was  a  physician  in  Orange,  Vt. 

6.  Asenath,  b.  July  25,   1774,  d.   March    15,    1777. 

7.  Sarah,  b.  Dec.  2,  1776,  d.  suddenly  on  the  day  appointed  for  her 
marriage. 

8.  Asenath,  b.  Dec.  14,  1779,  m.  Lewis  Parker  of  Cambridge,  Vt.,  d. 
March,  1846. 

Samuel  Peabodv,  son  of  Moses  and  Sarah  (Holt)  Peabodv,  b.  Sept. 
1,  1741,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  6,  1814,  m.  Elizabeth,  dau.  Joseph  Wilkins 
of  Amherst.  Thev  settled  in  Andover,  Mass.,  removed  to  Mont  Vernon, 
1785. 

1.  *Moses. 

2.  Samuel,  m.  Huldah  Stiles,  June  11,  1790,  d.  June,  1825. 

3.  John,  m. Holt. 

4.  Joseph,  b.  Oct.  3,  1770  d.  Nov.  1,  1853,  m.  (1)  Olive  Berry,  Sept. 
4,  1800;  m.  (2)  Anna  Flint,  Oct.  22,  1805.  They  settled  in  Middletown, 
Mass.,  where  he  was  deacon  in  the  church  several  years;  had  seven  ch. 

5.  Sarah,  m.  Damon,  settled  in  Marshfield,  Vt. 

6.  Aaron,  m.  Edith  Wilkins,  d.  in  Mont  Vernon,  1854,  age  82.  She 
d.   1863.  aged  82.     No  ch. 

7.  Jacob,  m.  Sally  Wilkins.  They  settled  in  Milford.  Had  a  son, 
Horace,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  28,  1814,  "lived  in  Milford. 

8.  Joel,  b.  1778,  m.  Elizabeth  Wilkins,  settled  Middletown.  Mass.; 
five  ch. 

Moses  Peabody,  son  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Wilkins)  Peabodv,  d.  in 
Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  4,  1842,  m.  May  25,  1786,  Sarah,  dau.  Ebenezer  and 
Lydia  (Peabody)  Holt.  She  was  b.  in  1757,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Mav  25, 
1845.     Ch.  b.    Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Moses,  m.  Mary  Marvell.  He  d.  in  the  army  at  Burlington,  Vt., 
in  May,  1813. 


122  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

2.     Lydia  H.,  m.  *Azel  W.  Burnham,  1818. 
Ch.  Moses  and  Sarah  H.  Peabody: 

1.  Keziah,  m.   Nahum  Bullard,  1830. 

2.  Mary  Ann,  b.  July  2,  1812,  m.  April  19,  1830,  Joshua  F.  Skinner 
of  Amherst,  lived  Amherst,  four  ch.,  a  dau.  d.  in  infancy. 

PERKINS. 

John  Perkins,  the  emigrant  ancestor  of  the  Mont  Vernon  Perkinses, 
was  born  in  Newent,  Gloucester,  England,  in  1590,  sailed  from  Bristol, 
England,  for  Boston,  Dec.  1,  1630.  Rev.  Roger  Williams  was  a  fellow 
passenger.  Perkins  had  with  him  his  family,  consisting  then  of  wife  and 
five  children.  Landed  in  Boston.  Lived  there  about  two  years,  where 
another  ch.,  Lydia,  was  born.  Removed  to  Ipswich  in  1633,  became  an  ex- 
tensive land  owner  in  Ipswich,  appears  to  have  been  one  of  the  leading 
men.  Deputy  to  the  General  Court  in  1636,  d.  1654,  age  64.  His  ch. 
named  in  his  will  were  John,  Thomas,  Mrs.  Eliabeth  Sargent,  Mrs.  Mary 
Bradbury,  Mrs.  Lydia  Bennett,  Jacob  Perkins.  His  wife,  Judith  Perkins, 
to  execute  will. 

Joseph  Perkins  (fifth  generation  from  the  first  John  Perkins,  1; 
Jacob,  2;  John,  3;  Thomas,  4;  Joseph,  5;),  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth 
(Fowler)  Perkins,  b.  Sept.  15,  1735,  m.  Emma  Dodge  of  Beverly,  May  12, 
1761.  They  resided  in  Beverly  some  years  after  their  marriage.  He  was 
a  tailor  by  trade.  Probably  came  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1776,  not  1773,  as 
Lydia,  the  youngest  of  his  four  daughters,  was  baptized  in  Beverly,  Dec. 
10,  1775.     He  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec,  1823. 

His  third  dau.,  Betsey,  m.  *Joseph  Trow  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  d. 
Aug.  22,  1851,  age  83.  His  son,  Capt.  Joseph  Perkins,  Jr.,  b.  Beverly, 
Mass.,  Feb.  6,  1761,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  22,  1822,  came  to  Mont  Vernon 
with  his  parents  when  a  lad.  July  3,  1779,  at  18,  he  enlisted  in  the  army 
and  served  one  year.  While  in  the  service  he  was  on  a  privateer  vessel, 
which  was  taken  by  the  British  and  the  crew  was  taken  to  England  and 
confined  in  what  was  called  the  Mill  Prison.  While  in  prison  he  worked 
at  his  trade  of  tailoring,  in  which  way  he  contrived  to  get  some  money, 
which  made  his  lot  more  tolerable  than  that  of  many  others.  Tradition 
says  that  when  he  secured  a  guinea  he  would  cover  it  with  cloth  and  sew 
it  on  his  coat  for  a  button.  M.  Hannah,  third  dau.  of  James  and  Hannah 
(Trask)  Woodbury.  She  was  b.  Oct.  5,  1766,  d.  April  15,  1856.  He  d. 
Nov.  22,  1822.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Hannah,  b.  Aug.  10,  1783,  m.  Levi  Ray,  Jan.  19,  1804. 

2.  *Mark  Dodge,  b.  June  5,  1785. 

3.  John  Trask,  b.  Dec.  7.  1787,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  16,  1859,  unm. 

4.  Lucretia,  b.  March  6,  1790,  m.  Jesse  Woodbury  of  Weare,  d.  1873. 

5.  Joseph,  b.  March  13,  1794,  d.  Aug.  19,  1797. 

6.  *Joseph,  b.  April  18,  1796. 

7.  James  Woodbury,  b.  March  6,  1797,  d.  March,  1802. 

8.  *James  Woodburv,  b.  April  17,  1798,  m.  Fanny  Cochran  of  Ne\< 
Boston,  dau.  John  Cochran,  Esq.,  d.  New  Chester,  Wis.,  March  30,  1874. 

9.  Sarah,  b.  April  20,  1SO0,  m.  March  22,  1825,  *Joseph  Trow,  d. 
July  31,  1837 ;  six  ch. 

10.  *Hiram,  b.   May  16,  1802. 

11.  Solomon,  b.  March  2,  1804,  d.  March  19,  1804. 

12.  Catherine,  b.   Sept.  15,  1805,  m.   May  4,   1826,   Elijah   Putnam,  Jr., 
of  Amherst;  two  ch.      She  d.   March  18,  1884. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  123 

13.     *Elbridge  Fisk,  b.   Sept.   9,   1811. 

Mark  Dodge  Perkins,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph  and  Hannah  (Woodbury) 
Perkins,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  5,  1785,  lived  for  many  years  in  the  house 
now  burnt,  which  stood  below  A.  W.  Bragg's.  Was  Deputy  Sheriff  many 
years;  m.  (1)  Feb.,  1809,  Mahala,  dau.  Peter  and  Betsey  (Woodbury) 
Jones.  She  was  b.  1788,  d.  June  24,  1843.  He  m.  (2)  Cynthia  Johnson 
in  1842.  She  d.  Feb.  19,  1867,  aged  69.  He  d.  Mont  Vernon,  July  22, 
1881.     Ch.  by  first  wife  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Betsey  J.,  m.  her  second  cousin,  *Charles  R.  Beard,  in  1829.  She 
d.  Dec.  26,  1850,  aged  40  yrs. 

2.  Abigail  F.,  m.  Aue.  10,  1836,  Zephaniah  Hutchinson  of  Milford; 
had  two  ch.     She  d.  Milford,  April  20,  1848,  aged  37. 

3.  Maria,  m.  Bradbury. 

4.  Hannah,  m.  Luke  Beard,  brother  of  Chas.  R.  Beard;  four  ch. 
viz;  Albert,  Horace,  Emily,  Luke.     They  lived  in  Wilton. 

5.  Peter  J.,  d.  unm.   Aug.   10,   1843,  aged  23. 

6.  Harriet  N.,  d.  Aug.  30,  1828,  age  5. 

7.  Mahala.  d.  Aug.  23,  1828,  aged  1  yr.,  4  mos. 

8.  Emily  L.,  m.  *J.  H.  A.  Bruce.  She  d.  June  19,  1860,  aged  28 
yrs.,  9  mos. 

Joseph  Perkins,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph  and  Hannah  (Woodbury)  Per- 
kins, b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  18,  1796,  owned  and  occupied  the  Perkins 
farm  in  the  North  District;  m.  (1)  Sally,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Granddau. 
of  Dea.  Daniel  Smith.  She  d.  June  4,  1830,  age  32.  He  m.  (2)  Susanna 
B.  Locke  of  Woburn,  Mass.  She  was  b.  November  15,  1803,  d.  Mont 
Vernon,    May   10,    1867.     He   d.    Oct.   21,   1877.     Ch.   all   b.    Mont   Vernon. 

Ch.  by  first  wife : 

1.  Hannah,  b.  April  24,  1816,  m.  *Trask  W.  Averill,  April  9,  1835; 
eight  ch.     She  d.   May  2,   1849. 

2.  James  Woodbury,  b.  May  9,  1818,  m.  (1)  Frances  S.  Bryant, 
July  9,  1837.  She  d.  Nov.  3,  1855,"age  39.  He  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Jane  Loveren. 
She  d.  Jan.,  1873.  He  was  a  tin  pedlar,  lived  in  Amherst  and  Lowell,  d. 
Lowell,   Nov.  6,   1887. 

3.  *Daniel  Smith,  b.  Sept.  22,  1821,  m.  (1)  Jan.  28,  1842,  Emeline 
F.   Crosby.     She  d.  July  18,   1868,  age  45. 

By  second  wife : 

4.  Joseph  Elbridge,  b.  July  24,  1835,  farmer,  lived  on  his  father's 
farm,  m.  April  6.  1862,  Eleanor,  dau.  Jesse  and  Eleanor  (Morgan)  Man- 
ning. She  was  b.  in  Billerica,  Dec.  13,  1841,  d.  June  29,  1902.  He  d. 
March  15.  1897;  no  ch.     She  m.  after  his  death  J.  Henry  Smith 

5.  *John  Trask,  b.  June  28,  1839. 

Dr.  James  Woodbury  Perkins,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph  and  Hannah 
(Woodbury)  Perkins,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  17,  1798.  was  installed  as 
minister  in  Warner,  N.  H.,  March  4,  1840,  dismissed  in  1846.  Fred  Myron 
Colby,  in  his  sketch  of  Warner  in  History  of  Merrimack  Co.,  character- 
izes him  as  having  been  an  earnest,  laborious  and  efficient  pastor.  He 
commenced  his  labors  in  Nooksett,  Feb.,  1846,  was  at  Alstead,  commenced 
preaching  in  Hillsboro  in  1852  and  at  Deering  in  1854,  and  finally  left  on 
account  of  ill  health;  was  also  a  physician;  m.  Fanny,  dau.  John  Cochran. 
Esq.,  and  Frances  (Gove)  Cochran  of  New  Boston.  He  d.  New  Chester, 
Wis.,  March  30,  1874.  A  son,  Charles,  went  West,  established  a  paper 
and  lived  in  New  Chester,  Wis.,  where  his  father  died. 


124  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Hiram  Perkins,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph  and  Hannah  (Woodbury)  Per- 
kins, b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  16,  1802,  owned  and  occupied  the  Lt.  James 
Woodbury  farm  in  the  village  many  years  (now  owned  by  Estate  of  Dr. 
C.  M.  Kittredge.  He  m.  Feb.  23,  1837,  Serviah,  dau.  Capt.  William  and 
Serviah  (Jones)  Lamson.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  15,  1S15,  d. 
March  1,  1871.     He  d.  Nov.  13,  1880.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Ann  Augusta,  b.  Jan.  15,  1838,  m.  Nov.  27,  1862,  *Clark  Campbell. 
She  d.  Aug.  16,  1900. 

2.  Mary  F.  B„  b.  Sept.  23.  1839,  m.  Feb.  15,  1866.  Charles  A.  Hutch- 
inson, lived  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  and  at  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  where  they 
both  d.  March  25,  1872.  Ch.,  Chas.  Everett,  b.  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  Nov. 
27,  1866,  m.,  lives  in  Cal ;  two  ch.  ;  George  M.,  b.  Nov.  10,  1869,  m. ;  one 
ch. ;  lives  in  Cal. 

3.  Harriet  J  da,  b.  Aug.  21,  1842,  m.  George  W.  Miller,  Jan.  13,  1868, 
d.  at  Providence,  R.  [.,  March  1.  1869;  one  ch.,  Ada  P.,  b.  Providence, 
R.  I.,  Feb.  14,  1869. 

4.  Hiram  Osborn,  b.  July   16,  1844,  d.  July  11,   1862. 

5.  Elbridge  Weston,   b.   Oct.   2,    L846,  d.   Oct.   3,   1847. 

Elbridge  Fisk  Perkins,  son  of  Capt.  Joseph  Perkins,  Jr.,  and  Hannah 
(Woodbury)  Perkins,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  9,  1811,  m.  (1)  Abby,  dau. 
Abiel  and  Emma  (Howard)  Wilkins,  Sept.  10,  1830.  She  d.  Oct.  1,  1853. 
Lived  in  Amherst  and  Wilton.  Was  a  merchant  tailor.  He  d.  July  19, 
1S94.  He  m.  (2)  Jan.  31,  1854,  Mary  L,  dau.  Col.  Levi  and  Sophia 
(Gilmore)  Jones  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  Amherst,  June  13,  1821.  Ch. 
bv  second  wife  b.  Wilton  : 

1.  Levi  Woodbury,  b.  March  26,  1855,  m.  Oct.  14,  1880,  Lenore  C. 
Emerson  of  Wilton. 

2.  Hattie   Sophia,  b.  Nov.   26,   1860. 

John  Trask  Perkins,  son  of  Joseph  and  Susanna  B.  (  Locke )  Perkins, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  28,  1839,  m.  April  18,  1860,  Laura  A.,  dau.  of 
Nathan  and  Abjsrail  (Weston)  Richardson  of  .Mont  Vernon.  She  d. 
Jan.  19,  1873,  age  30  years,  11  months.  He  m.  (2)  Sept.  14,  1878,  Mar- 
garet W.  Currier  of  Newburyport,  Mass..  res.  Westboro,  Mass.  He 
served  in  13th  N.  11.  Regt.  in  War  of  '61-'65.  Ch.  all  by  first  wife  b. 
Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  John  Ellsworth,  b.  June  10,  1862,  m.  Nov.  3,  1892,  Catharine  Laws 
at  Breckenridge,  Col. 

2.  Nellie  Grace,  b.  July  21,  1867,  m.  at  Newburyport,  Mass.,  Feb.  18, 
1892,   Albert  F.    Swainc. 

3.  Laura  Etta,  b.  June  26,  1869.  m.  at  Newburyport,  Mass.,  Nov.  14, 
1894,  Arthur  F.    Ingram. 

Daniel  Smith  Perkins,  son  of  Joseph  and  Sally  (Smith)  Perkins,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  22,  1821,  m.  Jan.  28,  1842,  Emeline  F.,  dau.  Otis  and 
Salome  (Whipple)  Crosby.  She  d.  July  18,  1868,  age  45.  He  resides 
Campton,  N.  H.     Their  ch.  buried  in  Mont  Vernon  were: 

Joseph,  d.   1845,  age  4  yrs. 

Charles  W.,  d.  age  3  yrs.,  6  mos. 

Eva  F.,  d.  at  18  mos. 

James  W.,  d.  Julv  24,  1851,  age  3  yrs.,  3  mos. 

Harriet,  d.  July  27,  1851,  age  17  mos. 

Daniel  Otis,  d.  April  22,  1852,  age  6  yrs.,  3  mos. 

Harriet   E. 

Willis   C,   d.   City  of  Mexico. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  125 

Edward  lives  in  Mexico,  m.   Mrs.  Spencer  of  Boston;    10  ch. 

PIKE. 

Peter  F.  Pike,  son  (name  not  known)  and  Lucy  (Foster)  Pike,  b. 
Dec.  25,  1824,  painter,  m.  Dec.  30,  1847,  Nancy  E.,  dau.  Benjmain  F.  and 
Hannah  (Smith)  Hill.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  6,  1832.  He 
served  in  the  13th  N.  H.  Regt.  in  the  War  for  the  Union.  He  d.  Sept. 
29,  1898.     She  res.   Mont  Vernon.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Ella  M.,  b.  Aug.  20,  1848,  m.  (1)  Edwin  N.  Gutterson  of  Amherst, 
June  6,  1867,  m.    (2)    Richard   Beach;   d.   Oct.   2,  1888. 

2.  Almus   W.,   b.    April   7,    1851,    d.   April   29,    1865. 

3.  Frank  L.,  b.  March  12,  1860,  m.  Nov.  27,  1884,  Mary  A.  Haridon 
of  New  Boston.     They  reside  in  Milford. 

4.  Alice  B.,  b.  Aug.  10,  1866,  d.  Jan.  29,  1867. 

5.  George  W.,  b.  Oct.  30,  1868,  m.  Feb.  24,  1892,  Lura  B.,  dau.  Ed- 
ward and  Martha  (Hardy)  Colburn  of  Hollis.  She  was  b.  in  Hollis, 
April  6,   1868.     They  reside  in   Mont  Vernon. 

Ephraim  Pike  lived  on  Battle's  place  in  East  Dist,  before  the  Battles 
came,  was  moderator  in  1813  and  1815,  m.  Sept.  10,  1809,  Nancy,  dau. 
James  and  Mehitable  ( Woodburv)  Rav.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March 
24,    1791. 

PINKHAM. 

William  F.  Pinkham,  b.  Nashua,  March  7,  1854.  Has  resided  in 
Brideport,  Ct.  Lived  here  from  1890  to  1896.  Now  resides  in  Hyde 
Park,  Mass.  He  is  a  civil  engineer  and  speculator.  He  m.  Dec.  25, 
1876,  Caroline  Frances,  dau.  Charles  and  Almira  L.  (Trow)  Forsaith. 
She  was  b.  Oct.  30,  1854.     Ch. 

1.  Ralph  Howard,  b.  Jan.   16,  1880. 

2.  Charles  Forsaith,  b.  July  14,  1881. 

3.  Henry  Palmer,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  16,  1894. 

PREBLE. 

Preble,  b.  Ossipee,  N.  H.,  d.  Lawrence,  1850,  age  51,  m.  Sally  D. 
Barker  of  Marblehead.  They  lived  here  on  the  place  now  occupied  by 
Charles  J.  Smith  a  few  years  in  the  forties.  She  now  resides  with  her 
son  Henry,  in  Lynn.      Ch. 

Henry,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  1844,  shoe  cutter,  resides  Lynn. 

PRENTISS. 

John  Prentiss  came  from  Salem,  Mass.,  to  Mont  Vernon  about  1816. 
He  was  a  most  excellent  penman.  He  was  a  merchant  here.  Removed 
to  Amherst  in  1825,  where  he  was  cashier  of  the  Farmers'  Bank  through 
the  whole  of  its  existence.  He  was  town  clerk  there  and  postmaster 
some  years  during  the  time.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Azubah  Prentis,  played  the 
organ  in  the  meeting  house  at  Amherst  several  years.  He  d.  in  Clare- 
mont,  March  2,  1868,  aged  82  years,  with  his  son,  John  J.  Prentiss.  Ch. 
were : 

1.  Howard. 

2.  John  J.,  m.  Mary  Ann,  dau.K  Hon.  Edmund  Parker ;   lawyer,  set- 


126  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

tied  in  Henniker  and  Claremont;  was  speaker  in  the  N.  H.  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives ;  m.  1855.     Lived  in  Chicago,  111.,  afterwards. 
3.     Henry,  d.  young. 

PERHAM. 

Joel  Frank  Perham,  son  of  Joel  H.  and  Alice  G.  (Lynch)  Perham,  b. 
Wilton,  Sept.  25,  1862,  m.  June. 2,  1890,  Annie  E.,  dau.  of  Daniel  H.  and 
Mary  J.  (Holt)  Smith  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June 
30,  1869.     No  ch.     He  is  a  cattle  dealer  and  farmer  and  lives  in  village. 

RAMSEY. 

_  Dr.  John  Ramsey  came  here  from  Greenfield,  succeeded  Dr.  Rogers 
Smith,  was  taxed  here  in  1815,  practised  here  a  few  years,  m.  Miss  Davis, 
dau.  Jonathan  and  Mary  Davis  of  Westford,  Mass.  He  returned  to 
Greenfield.     Ch.  probably  b.  in  Greenfield. 

1.  Margaret,  m.  (1)  Dr.  George  W.  Moore  of  Amherst.  He  d. 
Sept.  8,  1866.  She  m.  (2)  Dr.  Leonard  French  of  Manchester,  June  25, 
1867. 

2.  John,  farmer  in  Greenfield. 

3.  William,  res.  Wisconsin. 

RAY  OR  REA. 

James  Ray,  Esq.,  was  the  only  ch.  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Dodge) 
Ray  of  Beverly,  where  he  was  b.,  May  1,  1759.  His  father  d.  shortly 
after  his  birth,  leaving  his  mother  a  widow  17  years  of  age.  In  1760  she 
m.  Peter  Woodbury  and  in  1773  the  family  moved  to  Mont  Vernon,  where 
James  grew  to  manhood  with  his  half-brothers,  Levi,  Jesse,  Peter  and 
Mark  Woodbury.  Here  young  Ray  m.  Mehitable,  dau.  James  Woodbury, 
May  3,  1780.  He  was  a  noted  inn-keeper  and  an  active  man  in  Mont 
Vernon.  Trask  W.  Averill  said  that  James  Ray  lived  on  the  Dr.  Adams 
place  most  of  the  time  he  lived  here,  and  carried  on  the  potash  business, 
as  well  as  keeping  a  tavern.  In  1817  he  moved  to  Amherst  and  kept 
the  hotel  afterwards  known  as  the  Nutt  tavern  until  Jan.,  1827.  He  d. 
Amherst,  Jan.  15,  1830,  age  70.  His  wid.  d.  in  Francestown,  Feb.  4,  1858. 
Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  James,  b.  July  9,  1780,  m.  Elsie  Dana,  April  26,  1810,  lived  on  the 
New  Boston  road,  had  ch.,  d.  April  2,  1857. 

2.  John,  b.  Aug.  13,  1781,  d.  Nov.  25,  1781. 

3.  Mehitable,  b.  April  15,  1783,  d.  Dec.  15,  1832,  m.  John  Moor  of 
New  Boston,  Aug.  25,  1804.  One  of  her  ch.,  Sabrina,  was  mother  of 
Clark  Campbell,  Esq.,  of  Mont  Vernon. 

4.  Levi,  b.  July  13,  1785,  m.  his  cousin,  Hannah  Perkins  of  Mont 
Vernon,  Jan.  9,  1804. 

5.  Sabrina,  b.  Oct.  14,  1786,  d.  Dec.  11,  1802. 

6.  Henry  Hammond,   b.   Sept.   9,   1789,   d.   Feb.   20,  1829. 

7.  Nancy,  b.  March  24,  1791,  m.  Sept.  10,  1809,  Ephraim  Pike. 

8.  Frances  W.,  b.  Jan.  13,  1794,  m.  James  W.  Haseltine  of  Frances- 
town  in  1814,  d.  Manchester,  Dec.   12,   1877;  had  four  ch. 

9.  John  T.,  b.  Nov.  15,  1795,  d.  1797. 

10.  Elizabeth  D.,  b.  May  8,  1798,  m.  Newell  Dean  in  Dec,  1828,  d. 
Boston,  Mass.,  July  7,   1858. 

11.     Mary,  b.  May  31,  1800,  d.  Feb.  22,  1802. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  127 

12.  Peter  W.,  b.  Dec.  5,  1802,  lived  in  Salem,  Mass. 

13.  Horace,  b.  Nov.  5,  1807. 

RAYMOND. 

John  Raymond  of  Beverly,  b.  about  1616,  m.  Rachel  Scruggs,  who  d. 
1666.  He  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Judith  Woodbury,  wid.  William  Woodbury,  Jr. 
She  d.  1702,  aged  75.  His  ninth  ch.  and  the  first  by  his  second  wife  was 
2Nathaniel,  b.  March  15.  1670,  d.  Jan.  8,  1749,  m.  Rebecca,  dau.  Lot 
Conant,  b.  Jan.  31,  1671,  d.  Dec,  1760.  They  had  10  ch.,  of  whom 
3Nathaniel  was  the  ninth,  b.  April  1,  1712,  m.  Martha  Balch,  Oct.  3,  1735. 
They  had  eight  ch.,  of  whom  the  sixth  was  Nathaniel,  4th  generation,  b. 
Beverly,  May  8,  1749,  m.  Phebe  Dodge,  dau  of  Geo.  Dodge,  Hamilton, 
Mass.  He  d.  Mont  Vernon,  1800.  He  removed  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1773. 
He  was  a  sailor.  His  wife  d.  Nov.  15,  1825,  age  70.  He  lived  on  Ray- 
mond farm  in   South  Dist.     Ch. 

1.  Martha,  m.  Dea.  Andrew  Hutchinson  of  Milford,  had  sons, 
Nathaniel,  Elisha  and  Stillman. 

2.  Mary,  m.  Nov.  15,  1800,  David  Goodell  and  settled  in  Hillsboro, 
d.  Antrim,  1864,  aged  85;  had  two  sons,  George  D.  and  Jesse  R.  Goodell. 
George  D.  was  the  father  of  Dr.  John  Goodell  of  Hillsboro  and  Jesse  R. 
Goodell,  the  father  of  Ex. -Gov.  D.  H.  Goodell,  of  Antrim. 

3.  Sally,  b.  Jan.  26,  1781,  m.  Samuel  Hartshorn  of  Lyndeboro,  had 
six  ch.,  of  whom  the  first  was  Dea.  Samuel,  b.  Feb.  25,  1810,  d.  Mason, 
Nov.,   1846,   was   deacon   Baptist   Church,   Lyndeboro,   and   Hancock. 

4.  *George,  b.  1783. 

5.  *John,  b.  July,  1785. 

6.  *Jesse,  b.  1792. 

George  Raymond,  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Phebe  (Dodge)  Raymond,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  1783,  m.  Dec.  19,  1809,  Mary,  dau.  John  and  Polly  (Brad- 
ford) Wallace  of  Milford.  She  was  b.  May  13  1785,  d.  Sept.  8,  1862. 
He  was  selectman,  was  representative  in  1842;  lived  on  the  homestead  in 
the  South  Dist.,  d.  Dec.  14,  1853     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mary,  b.  Jan.  5,  1811,  was  teacher  and  principal  of  the  Female 
Seminary  in  Hancock,  m.  Jan.  19,  1839,  Rev.  Dura  D.  Pratt  of  Nashua, 
d.  Aug.  8,  1902,  at  Evanston,  111. 

2.  Phebe  B..  b.  Sept.  13,  1812,  m.  Eugene  Hutchinson  of  Milford,  d. 
Nov.  13,  1837;  one  dau. 

3.  George,  b.   Nov.  3,   1814,  d.  Aug.  9,   1818. 

4.  *Andrew  W.,  b.  Oct.  19,  1817. 

5.  Sally,  b.   Oct.  3,   1818,  d.   Oct.   14,   1819. 

6.  *George,  b.  Aug.  9,  1820. 

7.  Nancy,  b.  April  25,  1824,  m.  May  11,  1847,  Dana  W.  Pratt  of  Pen- 
acook,  N.  H.,  d.  Feb.,  1871 ;  one  son,  Charles  D.,  who  d.  at  Milford,  N.  H. 

John  Raymond,  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Phebe  (Dodge)  Raymond,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  July  23,  1785.  m.  Sally,  dau.  John  and  Polly  (Bradford) 
Wallace  of  Milford.  He  d.  April  22,  1850.  They  settled  on  the  farm  now 
of  George  F.  Tarbell.  In  1839  he  sold  his  farm  and  moved  to  Union  Co., 
Ohio,  where  he  afterwards  gave  the  name  to  the  town  of  Raymond,  where 
he  and  his  wife,  Sally,  d.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Nathaniel,  b.  Sept.  19,  1811,  was  taxed  here  five  years  until  1838. 
Went  first  to  Ravmond,  Ohio,  thence  to  Champaigne,  111.,  d.  May  19,  1890. 

2.  John  Wallace,  b.  March  5,  1815,  m.  Feb.,  1839,  Lucinda  Smart,  d. 
Raymond,  Ohio,  June  30,  1841,  without  ch. 


128  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

3.     *Robert  Burns,  b.  May  2,  1824. 

Jesse  Raymond,  son  Nathaniel  and  Phebe  (Dodge)  Raymond,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  1792,  m.  Betsey  Dale  of  Wilton,  N.  H.  He  d.  July  14, 
1862.  He  lived  on  the  farm  in  South  Dist.,  now  occupied  bv  C.  F.  Isola. 
Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  John  Goodell,  b.  Sept.,  1816.  m.  Oct.  8,  1839.  Roxanna,  dau.  Alfred 
and  Lydia  (Foster)  Hutchinson;  m.  (2)  March  20,  1856,  Abigail,  dau. 
John  and  Rosanna  (Mills)  Bullard ;  m.  (3)  March  20,  1877,  Mrs.  Nancy 
J.  (Cilley)  Hill.  He  was  a  blacksmith,  lived  and  d.  in  Milford,  Jan.  14, 
1885.  His  ch.  were  Abbie.  m.  Albert  Conant  of  South  Lyndeboro,  and 
David  E.  of  Peterboro. 

2.  David  Goodell,  d.   Milford,  Sept.  7,   1843,  aged  24  years. 

Andrew  Wallace  Raymond,  son  of  George  and  Alary  (Wallace)  Ray- 
mond, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  19.  1817,  m.  March  7,  1843,  Abbie  Stevens 
of  Goffstown.  She  d.  Feb.  23,  1883,  age  65.  He  lived  on  the  homestead, 
d.  Julv  5,   1895.      Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Marv  Frances,  b.  Jan.  7,  1844,  m.  March  4,  1863,  Dodge  G.  Hart- 
shorn of  Milford,  d.  Milford,  Aug.  17,  1899;  one  dau.,  Mrs.  D.  O.  Handley 
of  Milford. 

2.  *Charles   Henry,  b.   Feb.    21,   1846. 

3.  *George  Andrew,  b.  Julv  1,  1849. 

4.  Abbie  E.,  b.  Oct.  13,  1851,  m.  Walker. 

5.  John  W.,  b.  April  0,  1857,  m.  April  14.  1886,  Henrietta  Colston; 
has  two  ch..  lives  in  Concord,  Mass. 

6.  Dana  Pratt,  b.  Dec.  23,   1859,  d.   March  8,  1870. 

George  Raymond,  son  of  George  and  Mary  (Wallace)  Raymond,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  April  9,  1820,  lived  in  Antrim,  Concord,  N.  H. ;  lives  Rock- 
bottom,    Mass.,   m.   Eleanor   Pollard   of   Antrim.      Ch. 

1.  *Edwin  Herbert,  b.  Aug.  18,  1849. 

2.  Elsie  A.,  b.  Nov.  8,  1853,  m.  Nov.  30,  1882,  Thomas  J.  Niles  of 
Concord,  N.  H. 

Nathaniel  Raymond,  son  of  John  and  Sally  Bradford  Raymond,  b. 
Mont  Vernon.  Sept.  19,  1811,  was  taxed  here  five  years  until  1838.  Went 
first  to  Raymond,  Ohio,  thence  to  Champaigne,  111.,  d.  May  19,  1890.  Ch. 
of  Nathaniel   and  his  wife.   Melissa,  were : 

1.  Josiephine,  b.  May  8,  1842.  m.  Sept.  29,  1868,  William  S.  Maxwell. 

2.  Sally,  b.  April  22.  1844.  m.  June  14,  1871,  Jona  B.  Green. 

3.  John  E.,  b.  Aug.  4.  1845,  merchant  Girard,  Kan. 

4.  Isaac  S„  b.  Jan.  29.  1849.  m.  Oct.  27.  1875,  Edith  Eaton. 

Robert  Burns  Ravmond,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  2,  1824,  son  of  John 
and  Sally  (Bradford)  Raymond,  resides  Monmouth,  111.,  m.  Sarah  Lock- 
wood  1846.     Ch. 

1.  George,  b.  Jan.  9,  1847,  d.  Oct.  17,  1867. 

2.  Chas^  W.,  of  Monmouth,  b.  July  21,  1849,  m.  Dec,  1870;  had  two 
dau.  Wife  d.  June,  1875.  He  m.  (2)  Hattie  Hovier.  Sept.,  1879;  has 
son  and  dau. 

3.  Pratt,  b.   March  29.   1852.  d.   Aug.   15,   1869. 

4.  David  B.,  b.  July  4,  1855;  m.  Dec.,  1882.  Alice  Lake,  one  son. 

Charles  Henry  Raymond,  son  Andrew  W.  and  Abbie   (Stevens)   Ray- 


CHARLES   H.   RAYMOND. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  129 

mond,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  21,  1846,  lives  on  homestead,  farmer,  has 
been  repeatedly  selectman  of  the  town,  representative  in  1900,  member 
of  Constitutional  Convention  1902;  m.  Oct.  8,  1868,  Matilda  B.  Pillsbury 
of  Springfield,  N.  H.     She  was  b.  Feb.  2,  1843.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Dana  Charles,  b.  Feb.  15,  1870. 

2.  Wallace  Andrew,  b.   Dec.   14,  1872. 

3.  Orie  Matilda,  b.  Jan.  7,  1876,  m.  Jan.  7,  1903,  John  L.  Bailey  of 
Wakefield,  Mass.,  res.  Wakefield. 

4.  Milon  Henry,  b.  March  3,  1877,  res.  Mont  Vernon. 

George  A.  Raymond,  son  of  Andrew  W.  and  Abbie  (Stevens)  Ray- 
mond, b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  1,  1849,  res.  Milford,  m.  May  11,  1880,  Josie 
A.  Bailey  of  Milford,  dau.  Jos.  P.  and  Lucy  A.  (Woodbury)  Bailey,  b. 
S.  Weare,  March  31,  1862.     Ch.  b.  Milford. 

Clarence  A.,  b.  Feb.  27,  1881,  station  agent  Woonsocket,  R.  I. 

Grace  B.,  b.  May  31,  1884. 

Edwin  H.  Raymond,  son  of  Geo.  and  Eleanor  (Pollard)  Raymond,  b. 
Aug.  18,  1849,  lives  at  Antrim,  Stafford  Co.,  Kansas,  m.  Sept.  10,  1876, 
Eva  G.  Wheeler  of  Iowa.     Ch. 

1.  Mabel,  b.  April  6,  1878,  d.  1878. 

2.  George  L.,  b.  Jan.  31,  1881. 

3.  Wadsworth  P.,  b.  Oct.  27,  1882. 

4.  Mary,  b.  Jan.  31,  1885. 

REED. 

Jesse  Reed  lived  in  the  East  Dist,  d.  Oct.  25,  1875,  age  75  years,  9 
mos.     His  wife,  Clarissa  E.,  d.  Nov.  23,  1860,  age  59.     Ch. 

George  W.     His  wife,  Abbie  H.  Reed,  d.  Oct.  5,  1866,  age  23. 

REILLY. 

James  Reilly,  b.  Burke,  N.  Y.,  m.  Nancy  S.,  dau.  of  Thomas  M.  and 
Sarah  M.  (Manning)  Harvell  of  Amherst,  Feb.  24,  1873.  She  was  b. 
Amherst,  Feb.  24,  1853.  They  lived  several  years  in  the  North  Dist. 
Moved  to  Milford  in  1885,  where  they  now  reside;  stone  mason.     Ch. 

1.  Mary  E.,  b.  Aug.  22,  1873,  m.  Nov.  26,  1892,  Gustaf  Hofinson 
of  Milford,  res.  Milford;  m.  Sept  29,  1901,  Amelia  Murray  of  Newton, 
Mass.,  lives  in  Somerville;  two  ch. 

2.  Thomas  J.,  b.  Aug5.  1,  1875. 

3.  Frederic,  b.  Aug.  12,  1881,  m.  Feb.  17,  1900,  Margaret  Pequignot 
of  Milford;  res.  Milford;  two  ch. 

RICHARDSON. 

Parker  Richardson,  b.  Andover,  Mass.,  one  of  10  ch.,  nine  sons  and 
one  dau.,  m.  May  12,  1789,  Susannah,  dau.  of  Nathan  and  Martha  Fuller. 
She  was  b.  April  4,  1770,  d.  March  22,  1843.  They  lived  chiefly  on  the 
Joseph  Conant  farm  in  the  East  Dist.  He  was  a  cabinet  maker.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon : 

1.  *Jotham,  b.  April  23,  1790. 

2.  Tamesin  H.,  b.  1792,  d.  Dec.  7,  1815,  m.  Benj.  H.  Gage,  settled  in 
Lowell.  A  dau.  m.  a  Norman  Burnham  and  was  the  mother  of  William 
G.  Burnham. 


130  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

3.  Nancy  D.,  b.  Aug.  11,  1799,  m.  Nathan  K.  Seaton,  Dec.  25,  1817, 
who  was  for  many  years  employed  in  the  Boston  Custom  House.  He  d. 
at  Greenupsburg,  Ky.,  March  11,  1859 ;  no  ch. 

4.  Mary  Jane,  b.  Dec.  31,  1801,  d.  Jan.,  1802. 

5.  Mary  Jane,  b.  April  19,  1806,  m.  April  25,  1866,  *William  L.  Kid- 
der, d.  Aug.  27,  1880. 

6.  Susan,  b.  Nov.  10,  1809,  m.  Aug.  19,  1830,  Francis  Kidder;  had 
ch.,  Addison,  Susan,  Henrietta  and  Maria. 

7.  Nathan,  twin,  d.  young. 

8.  Charlotte,  twin,  d.  young. 

Jotham  Richardson,  son  of  Parker  and  Susannah  (Fuller)  Richard- 
son, b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  23,  1790,  m.  Dec.  1,  1814,  Ruthey,  dau.  Capt. 
Thomas  and  Susannah  (Haskell)  Cloutman.  She  was  b.  Marblehead, 
Mass.,  Oct.  23,  1791.  He  d.  Aug.  8,  1854.  He  lived  the  most  of  his  life 
near  Beech  Hill.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *Nathan  Fuller,  b.  Jan.  5,  1816. 

2.  Thomas  Haskell,  b.  May  19,  1817. 

3.  Mark  A.,  b.  Sept.  30,  1818,  m.  Lydia  Martin,  d.  Mont  Vernon, 
Jan.  26,  1886 ;  one  dau.,  Carrie  E.,  m.  Augustus  Nichols.  He  operated 
the  poor  farm  in  Arlington,  Mass. 

4.  *John  C,  b.  Jan.  12,  1821,  lives  Cambridgeport,  Mass.,  has  two 
sons. 

5.  *William  B.,  b.  Aug.  8,  1822. 

6.  Susan,  b.  Nov.  3,  1823,  m.  March  21,  1844,  *Luther  Odell;  three  ch. 

Nathan  Fuller  Richardson,  son  of  Jotham  and  Ruthev  (Cloutman) 
Richardson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  5,  1816,  m.  Abigail  Tuttle,  dau.  of 
*Thomas  and  Lucy  (Wilkins)  Weston.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March 
4,  1815,  m.  in  1840.  She  d.  Nov.  16,  1853.  He  m.  (2)  Lodema  Semantha 
Butler  of  Antrim.  He  lived  in  the  North  Dist.  on  farm  now  occupied  by 
Cleon  M.  Hill.     He  d.   March  5,  1884.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

By  first  wife: 

1.  Laura  A.,  m.  *John  T.  Perkins,  d.  Jan.  19,  1873,  age  30  yrs.,  11 
mos. 

2.  Eveline  Frances,  d.  unm.  Wilton,  Jan.  24,  1884,  age  35  yrs.,  4  mos. 

3.  John   Franklin. 
By  second  wife: 

4.  Susan  Inez,  m.  Frank  M.  Elliott  of  Milford. 

5.  Estella,  m.  Benj.  Chadwick,  Marblehead,  Mass. 

6.  Mary  Anna  Evans,  m.  Frederic  Hopkins  of  Greenfield. 

7.  Emma  Grace,  m.  Dalrymole  of  Marlboro,  N.  H. 

8.  Clarence,  m.  Lula   Sumner  of  Wilton,  res.   Milford. 

9.  Mark  Ambrose,  m.  Mytie  Parker,  lives  in  Francestown. 

Mark  A.  d.  Oct.  14,  1858,  age  4  yrs. 
Geo.  H.,  d.  Sept.  9,  1854,  age  9  mos. 

Thomas  Haskell  Richardson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  19,  1817,  d.  Sept. 

21,  1890,  m.  Sept.  23,  1843,  Nancy  B.,  dau.  Capt.  Wra.  and  Hannah  (Jones) 
Bruce.  She  was  b.  Oct.  1,  1825,  d.  Tune  6,  1892.  He  kept  one  of  the 
stores  for  many  years.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

Ellen  B.,  b.  Dec.  1,  1847,  m.  *William  Gage  Burnham.     She  d.  July 

22,  1887. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  m 

John  C.  Richardson,  son  of  Jotham  and  Ruthey  (Cloutman)  Richard- 
son, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  12,  1821,  real  estate  business  in  Cambridgeport, 
Mass.,  m.  Esther  Bodwell  of  Danvers  in  1852.    Ch. 

1.  John  Wilbur,  pastor  Centennial  Baptist  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

2.  Willis  K.,  lives  at  home,  unm, 

William  B.  Richardson,  son  of  Jotham  and  Ruthey  (Cloutman)  Rich- 
ardson, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  8,  1822,  m.  Aug.  8,  1848,  Mary  Ann  Ken- 
dall dau.  Franklin  Kendall.  She  was  b.  Dec.  22,  1828;  was  depot  master 
Newtonville,  Mass.,  d.  there  Aug.  13,  1886.  Was  buried  here.  She  d. 
Newtonville,  Mass.,  April  11,  1900.      Ch. 

1.  Catherine  Augusta,  b.  July  9,  1850,  d.  Jan.  19,  1855. 

2.  Alice  Ware,  b.  Feb.  3,  1854,  d.  July  7,  1900,  at  Newtonville,  Mass. 

3.  Edward  Austin,  b.  April,  1856. 

4.  Lydia  Adams,  b.  June  9,  1860. 

William  Richardson,  b.  Billerica,  Mass.,  came  here  from  Milford 
about  1820,  lived  on  the  farm  (owned  by  C.-O.  Ingalls)  near  the  big 
maple  on  the  Milford  road;  d.  March  16,  1863,  84  yrs.,  7  mos. ;  m.  Phebe 
Batchelder  of  Greenfield.  She  d.  Feb.  20,  1866,  age  82  yrs.,  3  mos.  She 
d.  1866.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  William  H.,  d.  May  5,  1845,  age  23,  unm. 

2.  Justin  E.,  b.  March  23,  1823,  lived  on  homestead,  d.  unm.  Jan. 
12,  1890. 

Daniel  Richardson,  b.  New  Portland,  Me.,  Feb.  23,  1836,  m.  May  9, 
1857,  Mary  E.,  dau.  Dimon  and  Harriet  (Parmenter)  Twiss.  She  was 
b.  Antrim,  June  20,  1838.  He  came  here  from  Lowell  about  1868.  Car- 
penter and  farmer ;  res.  in  South  Dist.     Ch. 

1.  Albert  D.,  b.  Sept.  26,  1860,  d.  Nov.  20,  1872. 

2.  Willie  F.,  b.  Oct.  2,  1862,  m.»Feb.  4,  1892,  Anna  G.  Wheeler  of 
Hollis.     She  d.  March  7,  1901  in  Mont  Vernon.     Carpenter.     No  ch. 

3.  Cora  Belle,  b.  April  30,  1865,  d.  April  30,  1866. 

4.  Augustine,  b.  Dec.  1,  1868,  d.  Dec.  21,  1868. 

5.  Hattie  May,  b.  Oct.  26,  1876,  m.  Nov.  3,  1898,  *Charles  O.  Ingalls ; 
one  ch. 

RILEY. 

Patrick  Riley,  b.  Ireland,  County  Caban,  m.  there.  His  wife  was  b. 
in  County  Caban,  Ire.  They  came  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1856  and  lived  in 
the  big  yellow  house  on  the  turnpike,  moved  to  Winchester  in  1881,  where 
he  d.  Feb.  14,  1897,  age  6o.  He  worked  in  the  tannery  here  and  tannery 
in  Milford  while  living  here.  His  wife  d.  July  22,  1898,  age  57.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Daniel,  b.  1857,  teamster,  m.,  res.  Somerville,  Mass. ;  has  three  ch. 

2.  John,  b.  1859,  lives  in  Boston. 

3.  Anna  I.,  b.  Oct.  1,  1861,  unm.,  res.  Winchester. 

4.  Thomas,  b.  July.  1863. 

5.  Bridget  H.,  b.  Feb.,  1865,  m.  Sept.,  1899,  James  H.  Cronin,  res. 
Winchester,  Mass. 

6.  Mary  F.,  b.  June,  1867,  grad.  Salem  Normal  School,  was  Prin. 
Rumford  School,  Winchester,  is  now  Prin.  Chapin  School,  Winchetser. 

7.  James,  b.  July,  1873,  m.,  lives  in  Maiden. 


132  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

ROBERTS. 

Benjamin  F.  Roberts,  son  of  Samuel  and  Almira  (Berry)  Roberts, 
b.  Peabody,  Mass.,  July  5,  1859,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  when  young,  farm- 
er and  laborer,  m.  Feb.  2,  1884,  Sarah  E.,  dau.  Samuel  K.  and  Almira 
(Young)  Russell  of  Nashua.  She  was  b.  Nashua,  March  22,  1861.  Ch. 
b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Clarence  F.,  b.  Sept.  2,  1884. 

2.  Henrv  F.,  b.  Jan.  20,  1886. 

3.  Carrie  B.,  b.  July  18,  1887. 

4.  Emma  A.,  b.  Nov.  12,  1888. 

5.  Helen  S.,  b.   Dec.   25,  1890. 

ROBINSON. 

Jesse  Robinson  of  Bedford,  Mass.,  b.  Bedford,  Mass.,  June  4,  1797, 
m.  April  7,  1827,  Asenath  Buttrick  of  Pelham.  She  was  b.  Pelham,  April 
12,  1803,  d.  Dec.  28,  1880.  He  lived  on  Beech  Hill,  then  on  the  farm  now 
occupied  by  William  Rvan.     He  d.  Nov.  14,  1876.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Marion  R.,  b.  March  18,  1829,  m.  Feb.  24,  1850,  Rev.  Charles  Pike, 
resided  Waterbury,  Conn.,  d.  Sept.  6,  1887. 

2.  *Jesse  Orrin,   b.   May  9,   1830. 

3.  Edwin  Wallace,  b.  Feb.  12,  1832,  m.  Oct.  6,  1858,  Caroline  E.  Nye 
of  Littleton,  Mass.,  res.  Littleton,  Mass. ;  had  three  ch. ;  d.  Dec.  9,  1892. 

4.  Mary  Elizabeth,  b.  June  17,  1833,  m.  May  19,  1856,  James  M. 
Hutchinson  of  Wilton;  res.  Wilton;  had  five  ch.,  d.  Oct.  27,  1896. 

5.  Harriet  Ann.,  b.  March  1,  1836,  m.  Oct.  6,  1858,  Henry  Nye  of 
Littleton,  Mass.,  res.  Worcester,  Mass.,  has  one  ch. 

6.  Sarah  Jane,  b.  Dec.  15,  1839,  m.  Jan.  30,  1859,  Frank  Holcombe 
of  Southwick,  Mass.,  res.  in  Milford;  has  two  sons,  Dr.  Chas.  H.  Hol- 
combe of  Brookline  and  Newton  Holcomb  of  Hollis. 

7.  Charles  Henry,  b.  April  27,  1842,  served  in  13th  N.  H.  Regt.  in 
Civil  War,  d.  unm.  May  23,  1864. 

Jesse  O.  Robinson,  son  of  Jesse  and  Asenath  (Buttrick)  Robinson, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  9,  1830,  m.  (1)  April  30,  1858,  Helen  E.,  dau. 
Levi  J.  and  Nancy  (Herrick)  Secomb  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  July  13, 
1833,  d.  June  27,  1861.  He  m.  (2)  March  27,  1862,  Laura  Frye,  b.  Man- 
chester, ,Vt.,  May  14,  1827.  He  settled  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  his 
son  in  the  East  part  of  Centre  Dist.,  d.  Nov.  20,  1887.  His  wid.  res.  on 
the  farm  with  her  son,  Willie.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

Ch.  by  first  wife : 

1.  George  Alfred,  b.  March  21,  1859,  m.  Feb.  6,  1883,  Anna  E.  Proc- 
tor, dau.  Jacob  and  Nancy  S.  Proctor  of  Marlboro,  N.  H.  She  was  b. 
Marlboro,  Feb.  9,  1856,  resides  Marlboro;   1  ch. 

2.  Helen  Elizabeth,  b.  May  11,  1861,  res.  Amherst,  unm. 
Ch.  by  second  wife : 

3.  Willie  Lincoln,  b.  May  1,  1864,  res.  on  homestead,  unm. 

4.  Jennie  B.,  b.  Oct.  7,  1865,  milliner. 

ROBY. 

John  Roby,  b.  Merrimack,  1743,  m,  1771,  Esther  Blodgett  of  Chelms- 
ford, Mass.,  in  1771,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  June  8,  1826.  They  settled  in  Mont 
Vernon  soon  after  their  marriage  on  farm  in  East  Dist.,  now  occupied  by 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  133 

George  F.   Jones.     She    d.    Dec.    21,    1810,   aged    71   years.     Ch.    b.    Mont 
Vernon. 

1.  Lydia,  d.  unm,  North  Chelmsford,  Mass. 

2.  *John,  Jr.,  b.  Sept.  7,  1776. 

3.  Hannah,  b.  Sept.  7,  1779,  m.  Joseph  Gilbert,  Aug.  29,  1799,  d 
Francestown,  Aug.  14,  1858. 

John  Roby,  Jr.,  son  of  John  and  Esther  (Blodgett)  Roby,  b.  Sept. 
7,  1779;  lived  on  homestead  in  East  Dist.,  d  June  1,  1856,  m.  Hannah 
Haseltine.     She  d.  Oct.  30,  1860,  aged  85.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Levi,  b.  Jan.  28,  1801,  m.  Louisa  Trow,  d.  Nashua,  April  16,  1855; 
three  ch. 

2.  Reuben,  b.  Jan.  5,  1803,  d.  May  5,  1805. 

3.  Hiram,  b.  July  27,  1804,  m.  April  17,  1830,  Rebecca  Cummings,  d. 
Nashua,  June  7,  1868;  left  one  dau. 

4.  *Clinton,  b.  May  6,  1808. 

5.  Hannah,  b.  Nov.  30,  1809,  m.  Asa  McMillen,  d.  New  Boston,  Dec. 
21,  1861. 

6.  Luther,  b.  July  21,  1813,  d,  Aug.  14,  1826. 

7.  Ira  Roby,  b.  Oct.  20,  1815,  m.  Hannah  Wilkins  of  Merrimack, 
April  27,  1847.  He  d.  Jan.  9,  1888,  in  Amherst.  He  lived  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  C.  E.  Kendall  in  East  Dist.,  was  representative  in  1862, 
moved  to  Amherst,  where  he  d.  Jan.  9,  1888.  No  ch.  She  d.  March  12, 
1889,  age  68. 

Clinton  Roby,  son  of  John,  Jr.,  and  Hannah  (Haseltine)  Roby,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  May  6,  1808,  d.  Oct.  25,  1870.  Lived  on  the  homestead  in 
East  Dist.  He  m.  (1)  Lois,  dau.  of  John  and  Mary  (Carleton)  Haywood 
She  d.  June  11,  1857,  age  46.  He  m.  <2)  Sarah  Jenkins  of  New  Boston. 
She  d.  May  5,  1868,  aged  47  years.     Ch.  by  first  wife  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  John  Clinton,  b.  Aug.  10,  1835,  m.  Orinthia,  dau.  Thomas  and  Lucy 
(Stevens)  Battles,  March  14,  1861.  Went  to  Illinois  1862.  Res.  Decatur, 
111.     One  son,  Ira,  b.  Jan.,  1874. 

2.  Kilburn  Harwood,  b.  Sept.  2.  1837,  went  West  in  1858;  lawyer 
and  banker;  res.  Decatur,  111.,  m.  Dec.  1,  1863,  Anna  Haworth  of  Wilming- 
ton, Ohio,  b.  Dec.  24,  1839.     Ch. 

1.  Frank  Clinton,  b.  June,  1865,  m.  Ida  Worden,  1893,  has  a  dau., 
Helen. 

2.  Mary  Lois,  b.  July,  1867,  m.  Frederic  A.  Brown  of  Tacoma,  Wash. 

3.  Kilburn  H.,  b.  Oct.  10,  1872. 

4.  Luther  Edward,  b.  Feb.  10,  1874. 

5.  Sarah  Jane,  b.  Jan.  14,  1876. 

6.  Anna  Haworth,  b.  April  10,  1878. 

ROTCH. 

Matthew  Griffin  Rotch,  son  of  Samuel  and  Susannah  (Johnson) 
Rotch,  b.  Boston,  Sept.  24,  1806,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  July  24,  1878 ;  m.  July 
7,  1835,  Tamesin  Hale,  dau.  Nathan  and  Tamesin  (Brown)  Fuller.  She 
was  b.  Amherst,  Aug.  27,  1804,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  May  7,  1895.  He  was  a 
mechanic  and  lived  in  the  village,  in  the  house  now  "Syringa  Cottage," 
owned  by  Hon.  G.  A.  Marden.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  Maria  Adelaide,  b.  Jan.  25,  1837,  d.  unm.  Jan.  21,  1877;  was  a 
woman  of  good  intellectual  endowment,  literary  taste  and  fine  education. 

2.  Albert   Atwood,    b.    May   5,    1840,    d.    Amherst,   Dec.    10,    1890,   m. 


134  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1859,  Helen  Reade,  dau.  of  Dea.  Edward  D.  and  Mercy  P.  (Perkins) 
Boylston.  She  was  b.  Amherst,  1843.  After  his  death  she  m.  William 
Warren.  He  res.  in  Amherst,  was  editor  Farmers'  Cabinet  and  was  in 
real  estate  business.     Ch. 

William  Boylston  Rotch,  b.  Amherst,  June  6,  1859,  m.  Oct.  17,  1882, 
Grace  Marston,  dau.  Joseph  W.  and  Susan  C.  (Hunt)  Burnell  of  Wey- 
mouth, Mass.  He  is  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Milford  Cabinet;  res. 
Milford;  one  son,  Arthur  B. 

RUSSELL. 

Joseph  Russell,  b.  Euston  Sq.,  London,  Eng.,  Jan.  20,  1863,  came  to 
America  in  1883 ;  m.  Ellen  V.  Connors,  dau.  of  Jeremiah  Connors  of 
Manchester,  N.  H.,  Oct.  30,  1866;  lived  in  Mont  Vernon  near  Purgatory, 
from  winter  of  1891-1892  to  Dec,  1894,  now  resides  Manchester.     Ch. 

1.  Jennie  V.,  b.  June  27,  1887. 

2.  Joseph,  b.  Oct.  5,  1889. 

3.  Sarah  E.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  15,  1891. 

4.  Anna  Frances,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  3,  1894. 

Walter  Wood  Russell,  son  of  Watler  and  Caroline  C.  (Leonard) 
Russell,  b.  Watertown,  Mass.,  May  27,  1835,  teamster  and  farmer;  lived 
in  Watertown  until  15  years  of  age,  in  Vermont  18  years,  in  Stove,  Mass., 
4  years,  in  Charlestown,  Mass.,  almost  25  years ;  came  to  Mont  Vernon 
in  1894;  m.  April  14,  1858,  Mary  M.,  dau.  Joseph  and  Mary  (Sloan) 
Beede.     She  was  b.  Wilmington,  Mass.,  Nov.  12,  1837.     Ch. 

1.  Alice  Shepard,  b.  Royalton,  Vt.,  May  14,  1861,  m.  Frederick  Ben- 
nett, lives  in  Waltham. 

2.  Carrie  L.,  b.  Stowe,  Mass.,  Dec.  11,  1869 ;  stenographer  in  Boston. 

Catherine    T.    (Bond)    Russell,    widow    Walter    Russell,    d.    Dec.    11, 

1887,  age  84.  She  had  lived  with  her  dau.,  Mrs.  Charles  F.  Stinson,  sever- 
al years.  She  was  the  step-mother  of  Walter  W.  Russell.  She  was  b.  in 
Watertown,  Mass.,  May  14,  1803. 

Josiah  Russell,  Jr.,  b.  Mason,  Sept.  1,  1799,  m.  Ruby  Wyman,  Oct. 
8,  1826.  She  was  b.  Woburn,  Mass.,  March  13,  1803.  They  lived  in 
Derry.  Lived  in  Mont  Vernon  several  years  in  the  thirties  in  the  house 
in  South  Dist,  now  owned  by  estate  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge.  He  was  select- 
man in  1835  and  1836.     He  moved  to  Amherst,  d.  at  Lowell.     Ch. 

1.  Maria  Louisa,  b.  Derry,  Sept.  23,  1827. 

2.  Almira  Josephine,  b.  Derry,   Sept.  28,  1830. 

3.  Edwin,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  13,  1833. 

4.  Albert  Gallatin,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  3,  1835. 

RYAN. 

William  Ryan,  son  of  James  and  Margaret  (Fox)  Ryan,  b. 
Kilworth,  Cork  Co.,  Ire.,  1834,  came  to  America  in  1856,  settled  in  Mont 
Vernon,  1858;  m.  at  Nashua,  Oct.  28,  1856,  Catherine  Oates. 
She  was  b.  in  Boyle,  Ire.,  d.  Feb.  17,  1885,  age  47.  He  m. 
(2)    Mrs.   Mary  Burns   of  Manchester,   April  29,   1886.     She  d.  Jan.   26, 

1888,  age  40.  He  m.  (3)  Ellen  Murray,  June  26,  1898.  She  was  b. 
Ballynock,  Ire.,  May  27,  1840.     Ch.  by  first  wife : 

1.    James,  b.  Lowell,  Aug.  24,  1857,  unm.,  res.  Mont  Vernon. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  135 

2.  Edmund,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  18,  1859,  res.  Worcester,  m.  Bridget 
Magnir  of  Worcester ;  one  ch. 

3.  John,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  11,  1861,  res.  Boston. 

4.  Wm.  Bruce,  b.  March  12,  1864,  d.  Milford,  May  26,  1887. 

5.  Mary,  b.  June  1,  1866,  m.  Nov.  26,  1888,  Thos.  P.  Garrity,  d.  Feb. 
21,  1896;  two  ch. 

6.  Katherine,  b.  Aug.  12,  1875,  m.  Jan.  11,  1900,  James  Cassidy  of 
Milford,  res.  Milford ;  two  ch. 

SANBORNE. 

George  E.  Sanborne,  b.  Reading,  Mass.,  April  2,  1827,  fitted  for  col- 
lege at  Andover,  East  Hampton  and  Monson,  grad.  Amherst  College  1853, 
Andover  Theological  Seminary  1856,  settled  in  Georgia,  Vt.,  as  pastor 
from  1856  to  1861 ;  supplied  at  Portsmouth,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  Dec, 
1861,  installed  pastor  April  10,  1862,  left  in  June  in  1865  to  accept  a  call 
at  Northboro,  Mass.,  left  there  to  accept  the  superintendency 
of  the  Orphan  Asylum,  Hartford.  In  May,  1885,  he  was  ap- 
pointed steward  of  Insane  Retreat,  Hartford,  held  that  position  until 
May,  1895.  He  m.  June  10,  1858,  Anna  E.,  dau.  Dea.  John  Knowlton  of 
Portsmouth,  N.  H. ;  no  ch.     He  d.  Hartford,  Jan.  7,  1900. 

SANDERSON. 

Henry  Sanderson,  b.  Beverly,  Mass.,  Feb.  19,  1810,  m.  Mary  Frances, 
dau.  Amos  and  Mary  W.  (Hartshorn)  Hubbard,  March  18,  1841.  She  was 
b.  Amherst,  Oct.  26,  1816,  d.  Milford,  Dec.  13,  1893.  He  settled  in  Mont 
Vernon  on  a  farm  in  the  East  Dist.  in  the  forties,  moved  to  Milford  in 
the  eighties.     He  d.  there  Dec.   13,   1888.     Ch. 

1.  Sarah  Frances,  b.  May  26,  1843,  m.  Charles  Lovejoy  of  Milford, 
July  1,  1865,  d.  Dec.  2,  1893 ;  had  three  ch. 

2.  Eliza  A.  H.,  b.  May  17,  1845,  m.  March  19,  1866,  Albert  F. 
Boutell,  res.  Milford. 

3.  Henry  Hubbard,  b.  Jan.  31,  1850,  m.  Helen  Brown,  1881,  res. 
Milford. 

4.  Leander  Calvin,  b.  Mont  Vernon.  March  19,  1852,  carpenter, 
came  to  Milford  as  a  young  man,  res.  village,  m.  Sept.  8,  1888,  Mary 
L.,  dau  of  James  and  Betsey  (McQuestion)  Sanderson.  She  was  b.  Mil- 
ford, Jan.  7,  1859.     Ch. 

Gladys  B.,  b.  Leominster,  Mass.,  Aug.  17,  1889. 

SARGENT. 

Daniel  Sargent,  Jr.,  son  Daniel  and  Charlotte  (Winslow)  Sargent, 
b.  Goffstown,  Aug.  14,  1823;  lived  here  a  few  years  in  the  later  sixties; 
came  to  Milford  in  1844  from  New  Boston,  quarryman,  d.  April  27,  1874, 
m.  (1)  Aug.  31,  1846,  Nancy  E.,  dau.  John  and  Betsey  (Moore)  Well- 
man  b.  Lyndeboro,  Feb.  24,  1823;  m.  (2)  Oct.  16,  1864,  Ann  Jane,  dau. 
Noah  B.  and  Mary  (Hopkins  )Hutchinson;  she  was  b.  Mont  Vernon, 
May  15,  1836;  resides  Milford.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

Frank  D.,  b.  Milford,  Oct.  29,  1853,  d.  Nov.  8,  1862. 

Ch.  by  second  wife  : 

Edwin  D.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  2,  1867,  mechanic;  m.  Feb.  28,  1899, 
Bertha,  dau.  Sylvester  S.  and  Nettie  (Schlim)  Osborn  of  Nashua. 

Mytie  Ardelle,  b.  April  21,  1869,  m.  May  30,  1893,  Frank  G.  Easter; 
res.  Milford. 


136-  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Eva  Bell,  b.  March  6,  1871,  d.  Milford,  Dec.  28,  1875. 

Thomas  Sargent,  son  of  Enoch  P.  and  Jane  (Jameson)  Sargent  b. 
Nov.  5,  1828,  m.  Nov.  12,  1853,  Elizabeth  B.  Tenney  of  Goffstown.  She 
was  b.  Goffstown,  March  31,  1837.  He  lived  in  Amherst,  came  to  Mont 
Vernon  1888 ;  lived  on  the  Edward  Hildreth  farm  until  1893,  when  he 
moved  to  Bedford,  where  he  now  lives.     Ch. 

1.  Sarah  Jane,  b.  New  York,  Nov.  16,  1858,  m.  William  Schwartz, 
Dec,  1879;  res.  Bedford. 

2.  George  W.,  b.  Goffstown,  Nov.  19,  1861,  d.  Feb.  20,  1865. 

3.  Cora  F,  b.  Manchester,  July  5,  1866 ;  m.  Harry  S.  Bagley,  Oct.  17, 
1887 ;  lives  Manchester. 

4.  *James  W.,  b.  Goffstown,  April  19,  1870. 

5.  John  M.,  b.  Goffstown,  Jan.  19,  1874,  m.  Aug.  21,  1898,  Hannah 
A.  Chase  of  East  Deering,  N.  H. ;  two  ch;  res.  Bedford. 

Orcutt  J.  Sargent,  son  of  Dea.  Enoch  P.  and  Jane  (Jameson)  Sar- 
gent, b.  Goffstown,  Sept.  6,  1845 ;  farmer ;  lived  on  the  Best  farm  in  East 
Dist.  several  years ;  moved  to  Milford  in  1891.  He  m.  Sept.  25,  1871, 
Mary  C,  dau.  Nathaniel  and  Charlotte  C.  (Buxton)  Lawrence,  b.  Tyngs- 
boro,  Mass.,  July  20,  1845.     Ch. 

1.  Iola  L.,  b.  Templeton,  Mass.,  July  17,  1873;  m.  March  5,  1892, 
Sidney  A.,  son  Chas.  M.  and  Susan  J.  (Wilkins)  Pond  of  Milford;  d. 
Milford,  Jan.  8,  1896. 

2.  Edith  B.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  28,  1878 ;  res.  Milford. 

3.  Flossie  I.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  6,  1882,  d.  Milford,  Jan.  4,  1895. 

James  W.  Sargent,  son  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Tenney)  Sargent,  b. 
Goffstown,  April  19,  1870,  m.  Sept.  11,  1892,  Emma  Anderson.  She  was 
b.  Germany;  res.  Bedford;  has  six  ch. 

SECOMBE. 

Daniel  Secombe,  b.  Anril  6,  1781,  d.  Jan.  12,  1846;  settled  on  a  farm 
in  the  East  Dist.,  m.  (l)  Betsey  Durant,  July  23,  1805.  She  d.  Oct.  12, 
1826,  age  42.  He  m.  (2)  Eliabeth  Austin,  b.  Sept.  28,  1828.  Ch.  b.  Mont 
Vernon : 

1.  Mahala  Jones,  b.  July  27,  1806,  m.  *George  C.  Coburn,  d.  April  23, 
1838;  two  ch. 

2.  Nancy  Durant,  b.  Sept.  27,  1812;  d.  Concord,  Jan.  30,  1857,  unm. 

3.  Marv,  b.  March  11,  1814,  m.  Charles  Austin ;  lived  in  Lowell. 

4.  Jane",  b.  Oct.  27,  1821,  d.  Concord,  Nov.  22,   1846. 
By  second  wife: 

5.  Daniel  Andrew  Jackson,  b.  Sept.  16,  1829,  m.  Oct.  17,  1861,_  Emily 
A.  Glover  of  Franklin,  Vt.  He  lived  on  the  farm  occupied  by  his  wife 
and  son,  George,  in  south  part  of  the  town.  He  d.  Aug.  16,  1880.  One 
ch.,  George,  unm. 

6.  John,  b.  Aug.  21,  1833,  d.  Aug.  18,  1835. 

7.  Charles,  b.  Jan.  16,  1836;  lives  Lowell,  Mass,  unm. 

8.  Harriet  Newell,  b.  Sept.  9,  1838,  m.  April  9,  1866,  John  H.  Coggin 
of  Amherst;  d.  Jan.  8,  1882;  two  ch. 

9.  John,  b.  Feb.  20,  1840,  d.  Sept.,  1844. 

SHEDD. 
Nelson  E.   Shedd,  b.  Hollis,  Sept.  22,  1820,  son  Ebenezer  and  Betsey 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  137 

Shedd ;  came  here  from  Nashua  in  1846,  where  he  was  overseer  in  mill 
of  Nashua  Manufacturing  Co.  He  m.  at  Nashua,  Oct.  13,  1842,  Fidelia, 
dau.  Paul  and  Betsey  (Woodbury)  Whipple.  She  was  b.  in  Barre,  Vt.,  Aug. 
17,  1823,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  April  21,  1899.  They  lived  on  what  is  known 
as  the  Shedd  farm  on  the  turnpike  in  the  West  Dist.  He  d.  Vineland  N 
J.,  March  25,  1885.  She  m.  (2)  Nathaniel  Cutter  of  Jaffrey.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon : 

1.  Sarah  F.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  18,  1847;  m.  Jan.  22,  1866,  Milo 
R.  Burnham ;  four  ch. 

2.  Helen  M.,  b.  June  9,  1849,  d.  Aug.  23,  1851. 

3.  Frank,  b.  June  9,  1849,  d.  Aug.  28,  1851. 

4.  Franklin  W.,  b.  July  3,  1852,  m.  Anna  Gilgua,  Nov.  28,  1872.  He 
lived  in  South  Dist.     He  d.  May  17,  1876,  leaving  three  ch. 

5.  Celia  M.,  b.  July  17,  1855,  m.  Aug.  2,  1881,  George  W.  Putnam; 
res.  Lowell ;  no  ch. 

6.  Henry  Nelson,  b.  April  10,  1857,  m.  Oct.  4,  1886,  Irene  Christine 
of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  res.  Philadelphia ;  two  ch. 

7.  Clarence  A.,  b.  Nov.  26,  1860;  res.  New  York  City;  in  insurance 
business. 

SHATTUCK. 

Noah  Shattuck,  b.  Brookline,  N.  H.,  1800,  d.  Aug.  7,  1843 ;  m.  Clarissa 
Saunders  of  Brookline  (sister  of  Delinda  Saunders  that  m.  David  Dut- 
ton).  He  lived  in  the  village  in  the  house  J.  M.  Fox  now  owns.  She  d. 
Sept.  8,  1843.     Ch.  all  but  Samuel  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Inealls  K.,  b.  June  21,  1821 ;  lives  in  Hudson,  unm. 

2.  Quincv,  b.  May  16,  1824,  m.  Mary  Chase,  d.  Bristol,  Vt. ;  left  one 
son,  E.  W.  Shattuck  of  Bristol,  Vt. 

3.  Dau.  b.  Jan.  9,  1826,  d.  infancy. 

4.  Milo,  b.  Sept.  18,  1827,  d.  New  Britain,  Conn.,  m. 

5.  Pamelia,  b.  Jan.  10,  1829 ;  m.  May  26,  1858,  George  W.  Trow,  son 
of  Jesse  and  Nancy   (Cochran)   Trow;  lives  Hudson,   N.  H. 

6.  Alfred,  b.  Sept.  22,  1831,  m.  (l)  Roseanna  Holden  of  Milford,  m. 
(2)  Mary  E.  Baker  of  Hudson ;  three  ch. ;  d.  Nashua,  Jan.  3,  1902. 

7.  Alonzo,  b.  June  22,  1833,  d.  in  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  unm. 

8.  Samuel,  b.  New  Boston,  d.  Nashua,  m. ;  one  ch. 

9.  Wallace,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  28,  1838,  d.  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

10.  Henry  K.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  enlisted  in  13th  N.  H.  Regt.  in  Civil 
War,  d.  diseased,  Nov.  30,  1863. 

11.  Edwin,  b.  Mont  Vernon;  lives  Mont  Vernon,  unm. 

SIMONDS. 

Benjamin  Simonds,  m.  Mary,  dau.  of  John  and  Mary  (Bradford) 
Averill.  Settled  in  Mont  Vernon,  rem.  to  Antrim  in  1793  and  d.  there 
in  1826,  age  65.     Four  eldest  ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  Lucy,  b.  Jan.  30,  1784,  m.  Enoch  Sawyer  in  1802,  d.  June  7,  1853. 

2.  Polly,  b.  May  21,  1787;  m.  Sept.  1,  1812,  Robert  Burns;  d.  Oct.  3, 
1857. 

3.  John,  b.  May  3,  1790,  m.  Sally  B.  Preston,  Feb.  3,  1814;  settled 
in  Antrim:  d.  in  1858. 

4.  Sally,  b.  March  8.  1792,  m.  May  7,  1812,  William  D.  Atwood ;  rem. 
to  Hartland,  Vt.,  d.  in  1836. 

5.  Benjami.i,  b.  Antrim,  June  5,  1796;  m. .Betsey  Parsons  of  Windsor, 
d.  Antrim,  Oct.  27,  1850. 


138  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

6.  Nancy,  b.  Feb.  24,  1798,  m.  Simeon  Buck,  Dec.  29,  1818;  d.  in 
Windsor. 

7.  Sabrina,  b.  Feb.  25,  1803,  m.  Simeon  Buck;  d.  in  Windsor. 

8.  Mark,  b.  May  24,  1807,  d.  Nov.  1,  1-807. 

SMITH. 

Cooley  Smith,  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Smith,  b.  April  9,  1709, 
m.  Sarah,  dau.  Thomas  and  Eunice  Burnham  of  Ipswich,  Mass.  They 
settled  in  Middleton,  Mass.     Ch.  b.  Middleton,  Mass. 

1.  Ezekiel,  b.  June  3,  1731,  d.  Nov.  19,  1737. 

2.  Paltiah,  b.  Aug.  2,  1733;  d.  unra.  1762. 

3.  Sarah,  b.  May  17,  1736,  m.  (1)  Ozemiah  Wilkins,  m.  (2)  Daniel 
Wilkins  of  Sutton. 

4.  *Aaron,  b.  April  24,  1738. 

5.  Lucy,  b.  June  20,  1740,  m.  Aquila  Wilkins  of  New  London,  N.  H. 

6.  Eunice,  b.  June  26,  1742 ;  m.  Abner  Wilkins ;  d.  in  Middleton,  Mass. 

7.  Jemina,  b.  April  22,  1744,  m.  Enos  Wilkins  of  Middleton,  Mass. 

8.  *Tacob,  b.   March  16,  1746. 

9.  *David,  b.  Dec.  5,  1748. 

10.  James,  b.  Feb.  14,  1750. 

11.  Lydia,  b.  Nov.  9,  1755,  m.  Aaron  Wilkins  of  Amherst;  d.  March 
25,  1837;  nine  ch. 

12.  Naomi,  b.  April  25,  1757,  m.  *Benj.  Wilkins;  settled  in  Lyndeboro; 
d.  May  11,  1850. 

Aaron  Smith,  son  of  Cooley  and  Sarah  (Burnham)  Smith,  b.  April 
24,  1738;  m.  (1)  Mary  Thomas;  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Bixby;  settled  in  Mont  Ver- 
non. A  son,  Aaron,  known  as  "Hatter  Smith,"  was  a  hatter,  m.  Lydia, 
dau.  Stephen  and  Lydia  (Fuller)  Gould.  She  was  b.  April  7,  1784.  After 
his  death  she  went  to  Hillsboro.  She  fell  over  a  stove  and  was  burnt  to 
death.     He  d.  Feb.  5,  1840,  aged  60,  at  Mont  Vernon.     They  had  two  sons. 

Jacob  Smith,  b.  March  15,  1746,  son  of  Cooley  and  Sarah  (Burnham) 
Smith;  lived  on  the  place  now  owned  by  Rufus  G.  Averill  on  the  turnpike; 
d.  in  Mont  Vernon,  July  12,  1842 ;  m.  Hannah  Upton  of  Middleton,  Mass. 
Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  *Daniel. 

2.  *David,  b.  Oct.  9,  1782. 

3.  Jeremiah,  farmer  in  Mont  Vernon,  went  to  Barre,  Vt,  m.  a 

French ;  had  ch. 

4.  *Jacob. 

David  Smith,  son  of  Cooley  and  Sarah  (Burnham)   Smith,  b.  Dec.  5, 

1748;  m.  Sweetser;  settled  South  Reading,  now  Wakefield,  Mass.; 

four  ch.,  David,  Noah,  Archibald,  Adam. 

James  Smith,  son  of  Cooley  and  Sarah  (Burnham)  Smith,  b.  Mid- 
dleton, Mass.,  Feb.  14,  1750;  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  29,  1831;  m.  (1) 
Moriah  Rolfe  of  Middleton,  Mass.,  in  1775.  Removed  to  Mont  Vernon  in 
1778,  where  she  d.  in  Dec,  1802;  m.  (2)  April  14,  1804,  Mrs.  Sarah  (Hil- 
dreth)  Jones,  wid.  Phinehas  Jones  and  dau.  Ephraim  and  Elizabeth  (El- 
lenwood)  Hildreth.  She  was  b.  June  6,  1765,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  21, 
1842.  He  first  settled  on  the  farm  on  the  turnpike  now  owned  by  R.  G. 
Averill,  where  his  sons,  Jesse,  James  and  Luther,  were  b.     He  then  pur- 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  139 

chased  the  farm  in  the  North  Dist.  now  occupied  by  W.  M.  Gilson.     Ch. 
by  first  wife : 

1.  *Rogers,  b.  Middleton,  Mass.,  June  12,  1776. 

2.  Rebecca,  b.  1778,  Amherst;  m.  Maj.  Robt.  Christie,  son  Dea.  Jesse 
and  Mary  (Gregg)  Christie,  of  New  Boston;  d.  N.  B.,  Sept.  6,  1804;  left 
four  ch.,  James,  Mary,  Jesse,  Rebecca.  They  moved  to  Springfield,  Clark 
Co.,  Ohio,  where  the  sons  were  prominent  citizens. 

3.  *Jesse,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  5,  1781. 

4.  *James,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  8,  1784. 

5.  *Luther,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  27,  1786. 

6.  Mary,   d.   infancy. 
Ch.  by  second  wife: 

7.  *Leander,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  22,  1808. 

Daniel  Smith,  son  of  Jacob  and  Hannah  (Upton)  Smith.  He  d.  June 
22,  1857,  age  85  yrs.,  6  mos. ;  m.  his  cousin,  Cynthia,  dau.  of  Daniel  and 
Sarah  (Smith)  Wilkins  of  Sutton.  She  d.  Aug.  8,  1864,  age  84  yrs.,  6 
mos. ;  lived  on  his  father's  farm.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

Hannah,  m.  May,  1822,  Benj.  F.  Hill;  d.  Dec.  1,  1866,  age  68. 

John,  known  as  "Big  John  Smith,"  lived  on  his  father's  farm,  place 
near  turnpike  now  owned  by  R.  G.  Averill.  He  was  a  peddler ;  m.  Rebecca 
R.  Hale  of  Bradford.  She  d.  Jan.  30,  1890,  aged  82  years.  He  d.  Oct.  2, 
1866,  aged  64  years,  9  months;  one  ch.,  Elizabeth,  b.  Sept.,  1833,  m.  *Wil- 
liam  Upton  of  Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  8,  1882. 

David  Smith,  son  of  Jacob  and  Hannah  (Upton)  Smith,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Oct.  9,  1782,  m.  May  16,  1805,  Mary,  dau.  Daniel  and  Mary 
(Weston)  Averill.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  26,  1783,  d.  Aug.  25, 
1864.  He  lived  on  the  turnpike  above  the  village  near  his  brother  Daniel's 
house.     He  d.  May  1,  1862.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Kilburn,  b.  Nov.  19,  1805,  m.  Maria  Wood  of  Littleton,  d.  Lowell, 
Oct.  13,  1881,  where  he  lived;  one  dau. 

2.  Cynthia   W.,  b.  March  14,  1807,  m.  *John  Smith;  d.   Tune  15,  1884. 

3.  Mary,  b.  Nov.  22,  1808;  m.  Nov.  17,  18„6,  *Elbridge  Marvell;  d. 
Aug.  5,  1895. 

4.  David  Orrin,  b.  Aus:.  8,  1811;  m.  Mary  ftone  of  Antrim;  had  two 
ch. ;  was  a  blacksmith.  He  moved  to  Antrim  in  1846,  thence  to  Concord 
in  1852,  where  he  d.  Dec.  15,  18"7. 

5.  Emma  Carleton,  b.  Aug.  19,  1813,  d.  unm.  Feb.  6,  1875,  in  Mont 
Vernon. 

6.  *William  Harrison,  b.  Oct.  22,  1815. 

7.  Richmond,  b.  Sept.  15,  1817;  d_.  unm.  at  Concord,  July  6,  1892;  was 
a  successful  speculator  and  lived  in  Concord. 

8.  Mehitabel,  b.  May  7,  1821,  m.  Henry  Ware  of  East  Andover,  N.  H., 
d.  there  Dec.  10,  1898. 

9.  Sabrina,  b.  June  28.  1823,  d.  1825. 

10.  Stephen  Chapin,  b.  May  11,  1825;  res.  Boston;  tailor;  m.  Augusta 
Straw  of  Lowell,  d.  Aug.  19,  1898;  seven  ch. 

11.  Nancy  Lovett,  b.  March  19,  1828,  m.  April  2,  1860,  Henry  L. 
Walkup ;  res.  Worcester,  Mass. ;  had  two  ch. 

Jacob  Smith,  son  of  Jacob  and  Hannah  (Upton)  Smith,  b.  Mont  Ver- 
non; lived  on  the  turnpike,  m.  Katherine  White  of  Lyndeboro;  laborer. 

1.  *James. 

2.  Lewis,  m.   (1)   Cynthia  Mitchell;  m.   (2)   Harriet,  dau.  John  and 


140  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Sarah  J.   (Hodgeman)    Stearns;  four  ch.     After  his  death  she  m.  David 
Bumford  of  New  Boston.     Lewis  Smith  d.  Feb.  14,  1886,  aged  71  yrs. 

3.  Samuel,   lived  in   Orange,   Vt. 

4.  George,  went  West. 

5.  One  dau.  m.  a  Meder  of  Saxonville,  Mass. 
There  were  four  other  dau. 

Dr.  Rogers  Smith,  son  of  James  and  Moriah  (Rolfe)  Smith,  b.  Mid- 
dleton,  Mass.,  June  12,  1776;  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Jones  of  Lynde- 
boro,  commenced  practice  in  Amherst;  removed  thense  to  Mont  Vernon, 
where  he  resided  until  appointed  surgeon  in  army;  afterward  to  Green- 
bush,  N.  Y.,  and  Weston,  Vt.,  where  .he  d.  March  25,  1845.  He  m.  Jan. 
15,  1802,  Sarah,  dau.  of  Samuel  and  Sukey  (Washer)  Dodge.  She  was 
b.  Sept.  18,  1779,  d.  Weston,  Aug.,  1840.  He  was  a  surgeon  in  the  U.  S. 
army  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  was  stationed  at  Greenbush,  N.  Y. ;  was 
town  clerk  and  moderator.     Ch.  were : 

1.  Samuel,  b.  Amherst,  July  7,  1802,  d.  Sept.  24,  1804. 

2.  *Asa  Dodge,  b.  Amherst,  Sept.  21,  1804;  fitted  for  college  at  Kim- 
ball Union  Academy,  Meriden,  graduated  Dartmouth  College  1830;  taught 
in  Limerick  Academy,  Me.,  one  year ;  graduated  Andover  Theological 
Seminary,  1834;  was  settled  over  the  Brainard  Presbyterian  Church,  New 
York  City,  afterwards  pastor  of  the  Fourteenth  St.  Presbyterian  Church 
until  1863.  He  d.  Hanover,  Aug.,  1877.  He  was  eminent  and  popular  as 
a  preacher. 

In  1863  he  was  chosen  President  of  Dartmouth  College,  as  successor 
to  Nathan  Lord,  D.  D.  Assuming  this  important  trust  at  the  age  of  59 
he  devoted  himself  for  14  years  with  unflagging  industry  and  energy  to* 
the  interests  of  the  college.  The  period  of  his  presidency  is  memorable  in 
the  college  annals  as  one  of  the  most  successful  in  its  history.  By  his 
personal  efforts  individuals  of  large  means  became  interested  in  the  col- 
lege and  contributed  liberally  to  its  finances.  His  arduous  and  incessant 
labors  seriously  impaired  his  health  and  early  in  1877  he  resigned.  He 
was  a  man  of  gracious  and  kindly  manners  and  he  impressed  his  person- 
ality upon  his  students,  and  his  memory  is  cherished  by  them  with  warmest 
affection. 

Among  eminent  men  who  graduated  during  Lis  oresidency  are  Ex.- 
Gov.  Frank  S.  Black  of  New  York,  Col.  Melvin  O.  Adams,  Hon.  George 
Fred  Williams,  Hon.  Samuel  McCall  of  Massachusetts,  Chief  Justice  Rob- 
ert M.  Wallace  of  New  Hampshire  and  many  others.  He  d.  Aug.,  1877. 
He  m.  Sarah,  dau.  of  John  Adams,  Esq.,  of  North  Andover,  Mass.  She 
d.  Sept.  24,  1882,  age  76.     Ch.  were  : 

1.  Dr.  William  T.,  b.  March  30,  1839,  graduated  Yale  College,  is 
Dean  of  the  Medical  Dept.  of  Dartmouth  College ;  m.  Miss  Susan  Kel- 
logg ;  res.  Hanover,  and  has  two  ch. 

2.  Sarah,    unm.,    resides    Hanover. 

3.  Albert  D.,  a  retired  merchant  of  New  York  City. 

4.  Henry  B.,  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  is  business  manager 
of  Scribner's  Magazine. 

5.  Harriet,   m.   a   Mr.   Bigelow. 

Ch.  of  Dr.  Rogers  and  Sarah   (Dodge)    Smith  continued: — 

3.  Sarah,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  21,  1806,  m.  (1)  John  Dale  of  Wes- 
ton, Vt.,  by  whom  she  had  one  son,  Geo.  L.  Dale;  m.  (2)  Elijah  Munson 
of  Wallingford,  Vt.     She  d.  Aug.,  1851. 

4.  Rebecca,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  12,  1808,  m.  Cephas  Dale  of 
Weston,  Vt. ;   lived  Wallingford,  Vt. ;   had  one  dau.,  Ellen. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  141 

5.  Annah  R.,  b.  Greenbush,  N.  Y.,  m.  Rev.  Dennis  Cbapin,  1840,  a 
Universalist  minister  of  Cambridge,   N.   Y. 

6.  Horace  E.,  b.  1817  in  Weston,  Vt. ;  studied  law  at  Broad  Albin, 
N.  Y.,  practised  law  in  Boston,  where  he  was  partner  of  Henry  M.  Stan- 
ton; was  a  member  of  the  Mass.  Legislature;  from  1879  to  1892  was  dean 
of  the  law  school  at  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  was  a  member  of  the  New  York  Con- 
stitutional Convention  of  1876.  He  was  the  most  eminent  lawyer  in  Fulton 
Co.,  N.  Y.  He  was  married  three  times  and  had  several  ch.  He  resided 
at  Johnstown,  N.  Y.,  where  he  d.  Oct.  19,  1902. 

Rev.  James  G.  Smith,  b.  Dec.  22,  1805,  went  to  Claremont  when 
young  to  live  with  his  uncle  (McLaughlin)  there,  grew  up  with  Method- 
ism there.  He  was  granted  a  local  preacher's  license,  April  8,  1826,  at  a 
quarterly  meeting  at  Salem,  N.  H.  He  preached  at  Nashua  and  Man- 
chester, went  to  Portsmouth  in  1838,  was  superannuated  in  1847,  since 
which  time  he  resided  at  Plymouth,  N.  H.,  where  he  d.  April  10,  1888. 
He  preached  constantly.  "He  was  an  excellent  singer,  gifted  in  prayer, 
a  strong  and  vigorous  thinker,  and  expressed  his  thoughts  with  con- 
siderable force  and  effectiveness."  He  m.  in  1828,  Mary  Lathrop  of 
Royalton,  Vt.,  b.  March  4,  1801,  d.  Nov.  26,  1879.  Three  ch.,  Joseph, 
Mary,  and  Col.  Francis  A.  Smith,  a  graduate  Wesleyan  University, 
officer  Union  Army  in  Civil  War,  is  now  a  successful  lawyer  in  Essex 
Co.,   New  York. 

Jesse  Smith,  son  of  James  and  Moriah  (Rolfe)  Smith,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  April  5,  1781,  d.  April  14,  1862;  lived  where  Mrs.  M.  J.  Blood 
now  does,  afterwards  Bridge  cottage,  m.  June  28,  1804,  Abigail  or 
Nabby,  dau.  Dr.  Zephaniah  and  Elizabeth  (Stickney)  Kittredge  of  Mont 
Vernon.  She  was  b.  March  22,  1784,  d.  May  7,  1866.  Carpenter.  Ch. 
b.    Mont   Vernon. 

1.  Jesse  Kittredge,  b.  Oct.  29,  1804;  m.  April  7,  1829,  Pamelia,  dau. 
Peter  and  Lydia  (Farmer)  Foster.  She  was  b.  Aug.  20,  1806,  d.  Mont 
Vernon,  May  13,  1880.  He  d.  Dec.  24,  1851 ;  a  skillful  surgeon  and 
physician    in    Mont    Vernon.      Ch. 

2.  Ambrose,  b.  Sept.  10,  1808,  m.  1833,  Mahala,  dau.  William  L.  and 
Nabby  (Jenkins)  Kidder,  widow  ■ — -  Partridge,  blacksmith,  lived  in 
Goffstown  where  he  d.  Oct.  29,  1882.     3  ch.,  Chas.  E.,  Perry  and  Almira. 

3.  *Norman,   b.    Oct.    13,   1811. 

4.  Laurania,  b.  Nov.  24,  1814,  music  teacher,  d.  mini.  Mont  Vernon, 
Jan.  19,  1887. 

5.  James,  b.  Sept.  23,  1817,  d.  Sept.  27,  1818. 

James  Smith,  son  of  James  and  Moriah  (Rolfe)  Smith,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Feb.  8,  1784;  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  26,  1809,  m.  Jan.  1,  1805, 
Susannah  White  of  Lvndeboro'.     Ch.  were  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  James   G.,  b.   Dec.   22,  1805. 

2.  Luther,  b.  Oct.  6,  1807,  m.  Mary,  dau.  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Moore)  Eaton  of  Hillsboro'  Bridge,  N.  H.  He  was  a  foundryman, 
lived  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  Manchester,  where  he  d.  March, 
1862.  He  had  three  ch.,  two  dau.,  Emily  and  Ellen,  d.  young,  one  son, 
Edwin  R. 

3.  Moriah  Rolfe,  b.  Jan.  11,  1810,  d.  infancy. 

Dr.  Luther  Smith,  son  of  James  and  Moriah  (Rolfe)  Smith,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,   Dec.   27,   1786;    studied  medicine   with   his  brother,    Dr.    Rogers 


143  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

Smith,  began  practising  at  Hillsboro'  Bridge,  1809,  continued  there  until 
his  death,  Aug.  5,  1824.  He  m.  July  22,  1817,  Mary,  dau.  Dea.  John  and 
Judith  (Weston)  Carleton.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  19,  1790. 
After  her  husband's  death  or  from  1837  until  her  death,  March  20,  1872, 
she  resided  in  Mont  Vernon.     Ch.  b.  Hillsboro'  Bridge. 

1.  Mary  Ellen,  b.  May  7,  1818,  teacher,  d.  June  10,  1853,  unra.,  in 
Chesterfield  Co.,  Va.,  where  she  was  teaching. 

2.  *Charles  James,  b.   Sept.  3,  1820. 

Cant.  Leander  Smith,  son  of  James  and  Sarah  (Hildreth)  Smith,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  22,  1808 ;  was  selectman  and  representative  of  Mont 
Vernon  several  years;  moved  to  Antrim  in   1860,  where  he  d.   Dec.  22, 

1884.  He  m.  Dec.  15,  1832,  Sophronia,  dau.  Silas  and  Martha  (Farnum) 
Wilkins.  She  was  b.  June  22,  1812,  d.  Antrim,  Nov.  25,  1882.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon : 

1.  George  W.,  b.  April  19,  1835,  d.  in  Die  army  Oct.  15,  1863,  being 
a  soldier  of  the  16th  N.  H.  Vol. 

2.  Augusta,  b.  June  5,  1837,  in.  >'l)  Moses  Carr  of  Newporr.  N.  H., 
who  d.  in  1864;  m.  (2)  William  N.  Conn  of  Antrim,  July  26,  1877,  where 
she  now  res.;  one  son  by  first  m.,  George  m.  Carr,  b.  Nov.  6,  1864. 

3.  Elbridge  Franklin,  b.  Dec.  14,  1839,  d.  in  the  army  at  New  Orleans, 
Dec.  15,  1862,  member  of  the  8th  N.  H.  Regt,  Vol. 

4.  James  McCauley,  b.  Sept.  19,  1842,  d.  Antrim,  July  15,  1865,  from 
disease  contracted  in  the  army,  member  9th  N.  H.  Regt. 

5.  Emeline  Willis,  twin.  b.  Jan.  19,  1844,  m.  Chas.  F.  Holt  of  Antrim, 
Nov.  26,  1863;  seven  ch.,  d.  Oct.,  1883. 

6.  Emily  Wilkins,  twin,  b.  Jan.  19,  1814,  in.  Francis  White  of  Bos- 
ton, No.'.  V,  1S65,  lives  in  Boston;  h.is  two  <on>. 

7.  Arthur  Linwood,  b.  July  29,  1885,  m.  Clara  A.  Conn  of  Antrim, 
Nov.  22,  1882,  resides  Antrim. 

William  Harrison  Smith,  son  of  David  and  Mary  S.  (Averill)  Smith, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  22,  1815.  He  worked  in  the  box  shop  and  resided 
on  the  Wilkins  place  in  the  valley  in  East  Dist,  moved  to  Milford  in 
1873,  where  he  d.  July  27,  1889.  He  m.  Jan.  1,  1841,  Lydia  J.,  dau.  of 
Timothy  and  Sally  (Marshall)  Baldwin.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June 
30,  1816,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  April  26,  1868.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Emeline  M.,  b.  Sept.  18,  1841,  d.  Aug.  13,  1847. 

2.  Lenora  A.,  b.  Feb.  27,  1845 ;  res.  Wilton,  unm. 

3.  A.  Josephine,  b.  Jan.  27,   1847;   res.  Wilton,   unm. 

4.  Marcella,  b.  March  13,  1856,  m.  Feb.  25,  1880,  Dr.  Geo.  W.  Hatch; 
res.  Wilton,  where  she  d.  March  17,  1899 ;  two  ch.,  Fred  and  Lydia. 

James  Smith,  son  of  Jacob  and  Katherine  (White)  Smith,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  m.  Catherine,  dau.  Charles  and  Catherine  (Newton)  Caswell.  She 
was  b.  Bandon,  Vt.  He  lived  in  Francestown,  afterwards  in  Mont  Vernon 
in  house  now  torn  down(  near  Secombe's)  in  South  Dist.  He  afterward 
lived  in  West  Dist.,  where  he  d.  1878.     After  his  death  she  m.  Aug.   26, 

1885,  Augustus  Johnson  of  Bennington.  She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  12, 
1901,  age  81  yrs.,  3  mos.,  3  dys.     Ch. 

1.  Deborah,  m.  Henrv  H.  Joslin,  an  enterprising  farmer  of  Lynde- 
boro,  has  a  large  familv  of  ch. ;  res.  Lyndeboro. 

2.  Andrew,  res.  Bennington. 

3.  Alvin,  m.  his  cousin,  dau.  of  Samuel  Smith  of  Orange,  Vt. ;  two 
ch. ;  is  a  rural  mail-carrier  and  resides  in  New  Boston. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  143 

4.  James  W.,  has  resided  in  South  Kcene  and  Walpole,  N.  H.,  is 
m.,  has  five  ch. ;  res.  Gilmanton. 

5.  Esther  W.,  b.  Nov.  25,  1853,  m.  (1)  James  Douglas,  m.  (2)  *James 
C.  Towne;  res.  Peterboro. 

Dr.  Norman  Smith,  son  of  Jesse  and  Nabby  (Kittredge)  Smith,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  13,  1811.  He  grad.  Vermont  Medical  College,  Wood- 
stock, in  1843,  and  the  same  year  established  himself  in  the  practice  of 
medicine  and  surgery  at  Groton,  Mass.  He  acquired  a  wide  practice  in  the 
surgical  branch  of  his  profession  extending  over  the  northern  part  of  Mid- 
dlesex Co.,  Mass.,  and  the  southern  part  of  Hillsboro  Co.,  in  N.  H.  In 
April,  1861,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  he  went  out  as  surgeon  of 
the  6th  Mass.  Regt.  and  was  with  it  in  its  famous  march  through  Balti- 
more, and  during  its  first  campaign  of  three  months.  In  1874  he  went  to 
Europe  and  passed  one  year  attending  medical  lectures  and  hospital  prac- 
tice on  the  continent.  Returning  in  1875  he  resided  in  Nashua.  He  pur- 
chased a  fine  estate  near  Groton,  Mass.,  where  he  closed  his  busy  and  use- 
ful life  May  24,  1888.  During  his  earlier  years  Dr.  Smith  was  proficient 
in  music,  which  he  taught  with  great  success.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Mass.  Medical  Society  and  was  a  public-spirited  citizen,  prominent  in  what- 
ever promoted  the  welfare  of  the  community  in  which  he  lived.  In  early 
life  he  united  with  the  church  in  Mont  Vernon,  and  was  one  of  the  oldest 
members  of  the  evangelical  church  in  Groton.  He  m.  (l)  May  1,  1838, 
Harriet,  dau.  John  and  Lydia  Sleeper  of  Francestown.  She  d.  Sept.  2, 
1839.  He  m.  (2)  Nov.  6,  1843,  Adeline  Sleeper,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife, 
who  d.  July  6,  1846.  He  m.  (3)  Sept.  22,  1847,  Abby  Maria,  dau.  Ephraim 
and  Sarah  (King)  Brown  of  Wilton.  She  d.  July  17,  1852.  He  m.  (4) 
Sept.  12,  1853,  Sarah,  dau.  Solomon  and  Dorcas  (Hopkins)  Frost,  who  d. 
Dec.  4,  1856.  He  m.  (5)  Sept.  11,  1860,  Mrs.  Mary  J.  (King)  Lee,  wid. 
David  Lee  of  Barre,  Mass.,  dau.  Daniel  and  Rebecca  (Parmenter)  King  of 
Rutland,  Mass.     She  d.  1901,  in  Boston.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  Henry  J.,  b.  Aug.  26,  1836,  d.  Aug.,  1858,  at  the  age  of  nearly  19  ; 
a  remarkably  amiable  and  pious  youth. 

Ch.  by  third  wife  : 

2.  Frank,  b.  Aug.  2,  1851,  d.  July  27,  1860. 
Ch.  by  fifth  wife : 

3.  Norman  K,  Sept.  28,  1868;  res.  Boston. 

4.  Frederic  L.,  Feb.  26,  1871;  res.  Boston. 

5.  Laura  K,  Oct.  27,  1872;   res.   Boston. 

Honorable  Charles  James  Smith,  son  of  Dr.  Luther  and  Mary  (Carle- 
ton)  Smith,  b.  Hillsboro  Bridge  N.  H.,  Sept.  3,  1820,  attended  the  public 
schools  until  1835 ;  attended  the  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  Academy  three  years 
and  Milford  Academy  a  few  months.  In  Jan.,  1839,  he  entered  the  law 
office  of  Albert  Baker,  Esq.,  (brother  of  Mrs.  Mary  (Baker)  Eddy,  the 
founder  of  Christian  Science)  at  Hillsborough,  and  continued  with  him 
until  Mr.  Baker's  death  in  Oct.,  1841,  pursuing  the  study  of  law  and  gen- 
eral literature.  He  subsequently  spent  a  few  months  in  the  office  of  George 
Barstow,  Esq.,  then  at  Hillsborough,  but  he  never  entered  upon  the  prac- 
tice of  law.  From  1842  until  1853  he  was  for  the  larger  part  of  the  time 
occupied  in  school  teaching  in  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts,  with 
the  exception  of  three  years,  serving  in  1846  as  register  of  deeds  for  Hills- 
borough county  and  in  1850  and  1851  he  was  employed  in  the  office  of  the 
U.  S.  military  engineers  at  Boston.  In  April,  1853,  he  was  appointed  an 
inspector  in  the  Boston  custom  house,  holding  the  position  until  July,  1857. 


144  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

He  has  sustained  remarkable  reverses  of  fortune,  losing  heavily  in  the  great 
fires  of  Chicago  and  Boston,  in  the  latter  of  which  he  was  financially  over- 
whelmed by  the  loss  of  over  $40,000  in  insurance  stocks,  owning  252  shares 
in  13  of  what  was,  prior  to  the  fire,  the  strongest  companies  in  New  Eng- 
land. Since  1873  he  has  been  engaged  in  fire  insurance,  having  an  office  in 
Boston  several  years.  An  historical  sketch  of  his  native  town,  entitled, 
"Annals  of  Hillsborough,"  from  his  pen,  was  published  in  1841.  He  con- 
tributed to  the  History  of  Hillsborough  County,  published  in  1885,  the  his- 
torical sketch  of  Mont  Vernon.  He  has  had  a  voting  residence  in  Mont 
Vernon  since  1842  and  has  held  the  offices  of  selectman  four  years,  town 
clerk  six  years,  moderator  16  years,  and  for  over  20  years  had  the  super- 
vision of  its  schools.  He  was  a  representative  in  1860  and  1861,  member 
of  the  Senate  in  1863  and  1864,  and  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  in 
1876  and  1889.  From  1845  to  1871  he  resided  with  his  mother  in  the  house 
now  owned  by  the  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge  Estate  in  South  Dist.  In  1871  he 
purchased  the  "Cloutman  place"  of  Mrs.  C.  L.  Wilkins,  southeast  of  the 
village,  where  he  now  resides.  June  6,  1878,  he  m.  Mrs.  Marguerite  (Hay- 
mand)  Burt  of  Plymouth,  Mass.  She  was  b.  Feb.  15,  1847.  Ch.  b.  Mont 
Vernon : 

1.  Mary  Ellen  Rolfe,  b.  May  13,  1879,  is  a  teacher. 

2.  Edward  Lorhair,  b.  Jan.  24,  1881,  has  a  position  with  a  publishing 
company  in  Lowell  and  Lawrence,  Mass. 

3.  Lelia  Eugenie,  b.   Oct.   15,   1882,  stenographer   in  Boston. 

4.  Helen  Adelaide,  b.   Oct.   1,   1884,   d.   Aug.   24,   1885. 

Mr.  Smith's  stepson,  Charles  J.  Smith,  Jr.,  b.  Feb.  4,  1874,  has  resided 
in  Somerville  since  1889;  is  a  foreman  in  a  large  teaming  establishment  in 
Boston;  m.  Feb.  6,  1897,  Ada  K.,  dau.  John  K.  and  Mary  (Sexton)  Stin- 
son  of  Somerville ;  one  ch. 

Dea.  Daniel  Smith,  lived  west  of  McCollom  Hill  in  North  Dist.,  m. 
(1)  ;  m.  (2)  Polly  Carleton  of  Lyndeboro.  He  d.  Sept.  1,  1829,  age  80. 
His  wife,  Polly,  d.  June  13,  1847,  age  59.    Ch.  by  first  wife  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  William,  a  tanner,  setiled  in  Greenfield.  His  widow,  Clara,  m. 
Charles  Richardson  of  Amherst.     She  d.  July  16,  1863. 

Ch.  by  second  wife  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *John,  b.  Sept.  12,  1809. 

2.  Sarah,  m.  Asa  Goodale  of  Antrim,  a  man  of  wealth ;  one  dau., 
Olive  Jane,  m.  Melvin  Temple  of  Windsor ;  had  two  ch. 

3.  Mindwill,   m.   *Simeon   Story,  moved  to  Antrim,   1860 ;   one   ch. 

4.  Hiram,  m.  Eliza  Bertram,  went  from  Antrim  to  Minnesota  in  1854. 

John  Smith,  son  of  Dea.  Daniel  and  Polly  (Carleton)  Smith,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Sept.  12,  1809;  m.  Cynthia  W.,  dau.  of  David  and  Mary  (Averill) 
Smith.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  4,  1807,  d.  June  15,  1884.  He 
lived  in  the  village.     He  d.  July  5,  1881.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  John  Henry,  b.  Aug.  5,  1835,  served  in  2nd  and  13th  N.  H.  Regts. 
in  Civil  War,  m.  (1)  Aug.  13,  1862,  Almira  Fletcher  of  Antrim,  who  d. 
June  29,  1861;  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Sarah  R.  Sargent,  wid.  William  Sargent  of 
Amherst  and  dau.  Dea.  Enoch  and  Jane  (Jameson)  Sargent.  She  was  b. 
Goffstown,  March  5,  1833,  d.  May  14,  1896.  He  m.  (3)  Mrs.  Eleanor  M. 
Perkins,  wid.  Joseph  E.  Perkins  and  dau.  Jesse  and  Eleanor  (Morgan) 
Manning,  Sept.  6,  1900.  She  was  b.  Billerica,  Mass.,  Dec.  13,  1841,  d.  June 
29,  1902.     He  m.  (4)  Nov.  22,  1902,  Mrs.  Bridget  (Quinn)  Gould. 

2.  *Daniel  Harrison,  b.  March  15,  1838. 

3.  Emma  Angeline,  b.  Oct.  11,  1840,  d.  unm.  Sept.  12,  1881. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  145 

4.  Charles  Richmond,  b.  April  4,  1844,  d.  unm.  June  29,  1901. 

5.  Nancv  Maria,  b.  Oct.  26,  1848,  m.  Russell  Farrington ;  res.  near  Liv- 
ermore  Falls,  Me. ;  has  two  dau. 

Daniel  Harrison  Smith,  son  of  John  and  Cynthia  (Smith)  Smith,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  March  15.  1838.  He  is  a  farmer  and  resides  at  the  upper 
end  of  village  at  "Pine  Grove  Farm."  He  m.  June  1,  1858,  Mary  J.,  dau. 
Daniel  and  Olive  (Proctor)  Holt  of  Milford.  She  was  b.  Milford,  Jan. 
27,  1840.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  Richmond,  b.  July  11,  1863,  m.  Nov.  2,  1887,  Jessie  B.  Nye.  He  is 
a  meat  and  provision  dealer  in  Boston;  res.  in  Dorchester,  Mass.,  lias 
one  ch. 

2.  *Frank,  b.  Aug.  20,  1865. 

3.  L.  Belle,  b.  Feb.  16,  1867,  m.  July  3,  1893,  Peter  W.  Pattee  of 
Goffstown  ;  res.  Goffstown ;  one  ch.,  Wardner. 

4.  Annie  E..  b.  June  30,  1869,  m.  June  2,  1890,  *J.  Frank  Perham  ;  res. 
Mont  Vernon. 

5.  Grace  H.,  b.  June  16,  1S72,  m.  Nov.  8.  1S94,  Louis  IT.  Hall  of  Mil- 
ford; res.  Milford. 

6.  Harry  A.,  b.  Dec.  13,  1874,  res.  Mont  Vernon  with  his  parents. 

Frank  Smith,  son  of  Daniel  H.  and  Mary  J.  (Holt)  Smith,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Aug.  20,  1865.  He  resides  in  the  village,  is  a  carpenter ;  m.  Oct. 
18,  1885,  Annie  E..  dau.  Solomon  and  Nancy  (Averill)  Jones.  She  was  b. 
Sept.  10,  1867,  in  Mont  Vernon.      Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Cecil  Frank,  b.  April  4,  1886. 

2.  Alice  Belle,  b.  June  18,  1889. 

Rev.  Bezaleel  Smith  (for  more  information  see  chapter  on  "Ecclesias- 
tical History"),  grad.  Dartmouth  College  in  1825,  came  to  Mont  Vernon 
from  Rye,  N.  H.,  in  Aug.,  1841.  He  m.  1829,  Eliza  E.  Morrison  of  New 
Hampton,  N.  H.  She  d.  March  21,  1847,  age  35.  He  closed  his  ministry 
here  in  1850,  removed  from  here  to  Roxhury,  N.  H.,  thence  to  New  Al- 
stead,  N.  H.,  thence  to  Hanover  Centre,  N.  H.,  d.  May  15,  1879,  age  82,  at 
Randolph,  Vt.     He  m.  (2)   Miss  Davis  of  Royalston,  Vt.     Ch. 

1.  John  B.,  grad.  Dartmouth  College,  1854,  d.  Nashua,  June  17,  1858, 
age  27  years. 

2.  Horace  Morrison,  merchant  tailor  in  Boston,  m.  a  dau.  of  Ira  Gay 
of  Nashua,  lived  in  Maiden,  where  he  d.  April  25,  18S4,  age  51. 

3.  Caroline  Eliza,  d.  Nov.  23,   1850,  age  16. 

4.  Huntingdon  Porter,  b.  Jan.  11,  1837. 

5.  Martha  Haven,  d.  March  3,  1866,  age  26  years,  seven  months. 

6.  George  Henry,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  1842,  in.  Sept.  9,  1866,  Jane  L. 
Fletcher  of  Antrim;  laborer,  lived  in  Lebanon,  d.  1898,  age  56. 

7.  Levi  W.,  d.  Aug.  12,  1846,  age  seven  months. 

8.  Daniel  A.,  d.  May  28,  1844,  age  five  months ;  seven  ch. 

Huntingdon  Porter  Smith,  son  of  Rev.  Bezalecl  and  Eliza  E.  (Mor- 
rison) Smith,  b.  Rye,  N.  H..  Jan.  11,  1837,  m.  Anna  D.  Berry,  dau.  Dr. 
Chas.  T.  Berrv  of  Pittsfield,  N.  H.  He  is  a  merchant  of  woolen  cloth  in 
Boston  ;  res.  Cambridge.     He  is  an  elocutionist  of  considerable  ability.    Ch. 

1.  Charles  P.,  b."l867. 

2.  Chadbourne,  b.  1869,  d.  at  18  months. 

3.  Winifred  B..  b.  1871. 

4.  Bertha  M.,  b.  1875,  d.  May,  1887. 

5.  Robert  L.,  b.  1883. 


146  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

SPAULDING. 

Otis  M.  Sprinkling,  son  of  Stephen  and  Sarah  (Blodgett)  Spaulding, 
b.  Tyngsboro,  Mass.,  Aug.  23,  1841,  was  a  stone  mason  in  Milford,  came  to 
Mont  Vernon  in  1886;  lives  on  his  father-in-law's  CJosiah  Swinnington) 
farm  in  South  Dist. ;  m.  Jan.  18,  1869,  Hannah  E.,  dau.  Josiah  and  Sarah 
(Farnum)  Swinnington.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  4,  1850.  Ch.  b. 
Milford: 

1.  Minnie  B„  b.  Sept.  1,  1869,  m.  Nov.  25,  1891,  Joseph  G.  Carleton 
of  Mont  Vernon,  res.  Mont  Vernon  ;  five  ch. 

2.  Wilbert  O.,  b.  Jan.  14,  1874,  laborer. 

3.  Frank  C,  b.  July  27,  1876,  m.  Dec.  24,  1901,  Mrs.  Mary  Storer  of 
Rochester.  N.  H.,  res.  Nashua  ;  one  son. 

4.  Ernest  Holmes,  b.  May  30.  1882,  res.  at  home. 

SOUTHWORTH. 

Capt.  Chester  B.  Southworth  was  b.  in  West  Fairlee,  Vt.  He  lived 
there  until  21  years  of  age.  In  1836  he  came  to  Mont  Vernon  and  worked 
for  some  years  at  his  trade  of  currier  in  the  tannery  of  Dea.  Joseph  A. 
Starrett.  While  thus  employed  a  permanent  injury  to  his  left  arm  com- 
pelled a  change  of  occupation,  and  he  was  engaged  as  a  travelling  merchant 
for  S.  Thayer  &  Co.  of  New  Tpswich,  and  later  through  the  remainder  of 
his  life  very  successfully,  on  his  own  account.  During  his  25  years'  resi- 
dence in  Mont  Vernon,  from  1836  to  1861,  he  owned  and  occupied  the  place 
just  above  the  cemetery,  now  occupied  by  Kneeland  C.  White.  Tn  1861  he 
removed  to  Manchester,  where  he  d.  May  26,  1893,  age  78  years.  He  m. 
(1)  Augusta,  dau.  Capt.  William  and  Servian  (Jones)  Lamson,  July  21, 
1842,  She  was  h.  Mont  Vernon,  March  9,  1817,  d.  Manchester,  Feb.  1, 
1879;  no  ch.  He  m.  (2)  Miss  Southworth  of  Thetford,  Vt..  who  d.  shortly 
after.  He  m.  (3)  Mrs.  Harriet  Holhrook  of  Bedford,  N.  H.,  who  still 
lives  in  Manchester. 

SPOFFORD. 

Abijah  Spofford  was  a  teacher  and  singer.   He  was  a  tax-payer  in  1804. 

STARRETT. 

David  Starrett.  b.  Francestown.  N.  H.,  April  21,  1774,  grad.  Dartmouth 
College  1798;  was  lawyer  in  Hillsboro.  He  m.  Abigail  Ellery  Appleton, 
dau.  Rev.  Joseph  Appleon  of  North  Brook-field,  Mass.  She  d.  Mont  Ver- 
non, May  3,  1858,  age  73.  Mrs.  Starret  with  three  ch.  came  here  in  1813. 
Ch.  h.  Hillsboro : 

1.  *Joseph  A.,  b.  Aug.  31,  1804. 

2.  Emily  Caroline,  b.  Jan.  20,  1807,  m.  Rev.  David  Stowell  of  Town- 
send.  Mass.,  Oct.  26,  1837;  had  one  ch.,  Dr.  David  P.  Stowell  of  Water- 
ville.   Me.,  d. 

3.  *  Albert  Gardiner,  b.  Oct.  21,  1810. 

Dea.  Toseph  A.  Starrett,  son  of  David  and  Abigail  E.  ( Appleton  "i  Star- 
rett, b.  Hillsboro.  Aug.  31,  1804,  was  deacon  of  the  Congregational  Church: 
came  to  Mont  Vernon  in  May,  1813,  learned  the  tanner's  trade,  operated 
the  tannery.  D.  May  22,  1894'.  m.  Dec.  10,  1833,  Maria  J.,  dau.  Dea.  John 
and  Dolly  (Durant)   Bruce  of  Mont  Vernon.     She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon, 


JOSEPH  A.   STARRETT. 
Deacon  from   1836  to  1858. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  147 

Aug.  21,  1814.     She  d.  Oct.  20,  1869.     He  lived  in  the  brick  house  in  the 
village.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  Henrietta  M.,  b.  Sept.  29,  1834.  m.  Dec.  5,  1853,  *Dr.  Samuel  G. 
Dearborn.     She  d.  Nashua.  June  29,  1893 ;  two  ch. 

2.  Josephine,  b.   March  12,  1836,  d.   March  11,  184G. 

3.  *William  Sullivan  A.,  b.  Tune  4,  1838. 

4.  Emily  J.,  b.  Dec.  14,  1846,  m.  *John  T.  McCollom,  July  14,  1866, 
d.  April  4,  1867 ;  one  ch. 

Albert  Gardiner  Starrett,  son  of  David  and  Abigail  E.  (Appleton) 
Starrett.  b.  Hillsboro,  Oct.  21,  1810;  worked  in  the  shops  here,  lived  in  vil- 
lage, d.  Mont  Vernon,  March  24,  1855,  m.  Sept.  17,  1845,  Mary  M.,  dau.  of 
Daniel  and  Tabitha  (Sawyer)  Stevens.  She  was.  b.  May  17,  1826,  Stod- 
dard. N.  H.,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  11.  1896.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Albert  Anplcton,  b.  Aug.  8,  1847,  d.  July  31,  1848. 

2.  George  Gardiner,  b.  May  27,  1849,  m.  Dec.  28,  1882,  Ellen  Sinnicks, 
b.  Five  Leagues,  Labrador,  Oc.  27,  1851.  He  d.  Sept.  24,  1887.  His  wid. 
res.  Mont  Vernon.  Lived  in  his  father's  house  in  village;  farmer.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  Alice  Gardner,  b.  Oct.  6,  1883. 

2.  William  Appleton,  b.  Sept.  14,  1885. 

William  Sullivan  A.  Starrett,  son  of  Dea.  Joseph  A.  and  Maria  J. 
( Bruce)  Starrett.  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  4,  1838,  m.  June  17,  1868,  Frances 
E.,  dau.  Milton  W.  and  Sophronia  (Trow)  McCollom  of  Mont  Vernon. 
She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  26,  1845.  He  res.  in  the  brick  bouse  in  vil- 
lage, owned  by  his  father.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  Emily  C.  A.,  b.  March  15,  1871;  teacher  in  Milford. 

2.  Henrietta  M.,  b.  Sept.  1,  1872,  m.  June  6,  1903,  Fred  Auryansen  of 
New  York  City;  res.  Brookh-n,  New  York. 

William  A.  Starrett,  cousin  Dea.  Joseph  A.  Starrett,  came  here  from 
Francestown.  worked  in  the  tannery,  m.  Emily  Frances,  dau.  Dea.  John 
and  Dollv  CDurant)  Bruce  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  d.  Aug.  19.  1853,  aged 
23.     He  d.  Oct.  10,  1854,  aged  30.     Both  buried  in  Mont  Vernon. 

STEARNS. 

John  Stearns  m,  Nancy  Wetberbee  of  New  Boston.  He  d.  June  5, 
1860,  aged  69.     They  lived  in  the  West  Dist.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Hannah  Pettengill,  b.  Sept.  28,  1817,  George  Green;  one  ch.  d. 
July  11.  1000. 

2.  *Tohn  W.,  b.  July  29,  1819,  d.      He  m.  Sarah  Jane  Hodgeman. 

3.  *Daniel,  b.  1823. 

4.  *Seth  P.,  b.  Oct.  14,  1826. 

John  W.  Stearns,  son  'of  John  and  Nancy  (Wetherbee)  Stearns,  b. 
July  29,  1819,  lived  in  Mont  Vernon  in  West  Dist.,  m.  Sarah  Jane  Hodge- 
man.    Ch.  were : 

1.  Reuben,  d.  unm. 

2.  Hannah,  m.  Daniel  Boardman. 

3.  Emeline,  m.  James  Douglas;  had  several  ch.,  lived  New  Boston. 

4.  Harriet,  m.   (1)  Lewis.  Smith,  had  ch. ;  m.   (2)  David  Bumford, 

5.  Frank,  d.  young. 

6.  Sarah,  m.  Abbott  of  Milford. 


148  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

7.  Ida  M.,  m.  Flagg  of  Mason. 

8.  John  Frank,  lives  Lyndeboro. 

9.  Alfred,  d.  1894. 

10.     Granville,  lives  Lyndeboro. 

Daniel  Stearns,  son  of  John  and  Nancy  (Wetherbee)  Stearns,  b.  1823, 
d.  Feb.  18,  1899 ;  lived  in  the  West  Dist.,  m.  Nancy  J.  Mills.  She  was  b. 
Chester,  N.  H.,  d.  Aug.  23,  1897,  age  82  yrs.,  7  mos.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  Caroline,  m.  David  Ritter,  lives  in  Washington,  D.  C. ;  four  ch. 

2.  Daniel  Augustus,  m.  Georgia  Hartshorn  of  Merrimack,  July  3, 
1882,  d.  July  26,  1883,  age  33. 

3.  Charles. 

4.  George,  res.  in  West  Dist.;  m.    (1)   Christie,  dau.  John 

Christie  of  New   Boston;   m.    (2)    Aug.   12,   1895,  Josie,   dau.   Peter  and 
Emeline  (Stearns)   Douglass  of  N.  B. 

Seth  P.  Stearns,  son  of  John  and  Nancy  (Wetherbee)  Stearns,  b.  Oct. 
14,  1826  ;  m.  Feb.  23,  1852,  Mary  E.  Brown  of  Lyndeboro,  b.  April  23,  1832. 
She  d.  Oct.  18,  1895,  age  63  yrs.,  5  mos.,  25  dys.  He  d.  Jan.  26,  1902. 
Lived  in  the  West  Dist.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Harvey  Page,  b.  Aug.  16,  1855,  lives  in  West  Dist.,  unm. 

2.  Almira,  d.  infancy. 

3.  Andrew  Jason,  b.  June  26,  1862,  m.  May  7,  1893,  Cora  E.  Mason 
of  Tamworth  ;  lives  in  Tamworth. 

4.  Elizabeth  A.,  b.  Feb.  2,  1872,  unm. 

STEVENS. 

Calvin  Stevens  was  a  native  of  Rutland,  Mass.,  where  he  was  b.  Jan. 
27,  1753,  but  removed  to  Carlisle,  Mass.,  in  infancy,  where  he  was  bred. 
He  removed  to  Hillsboro,  N.  H.,  in  1776.  He  fought  in  the  Revolution 
and  was  in  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  His  mind  was  naturally  inquisitive, 
abounded  in  anecdote,  and  was  much  improved  by  reading.  He  was  for 
many  y'ears  a  town  officer  and  civil  magistrate,  and  in  these  relations  was 
distinguished  for  his  correctness  and  integrity.  He  was  a  kind  husband,  a 
tender  father  and  an  humble  and  consistent  Christian.  He  removed  from 
Hillsboro  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1821,  where  he  d.  Feb.  22,  1833.  He  m.  in 
1773  Esther  Wilkins  of  Carlisle,  Mass.,  bv  whom  he  had  13  ch.,  10  of  whom 
survived  him.  She  d.  Aug.  24,  1828.  He  m.  (2)  his  sister-in-law,  Mrs. 
Hannah  (Brown)  Wilkins,  wid.  James  Wilkins.  She  d.  Carlisle,  Feb.  8, 
1852.     Ch.  all  but  eldest  b.  Hillsboro : 

1.  Isaac,  b.  Oct.  2,  1774,  drowned  at  sea,  Oct.  15,  1802 ;  left  a  widow 
and  two  sons. 

2.  Polly,  b.  March  13,  1778,  m.  in  Hillsboro  to  David  Dodge,  a  noted 
and  accomplished  schoolmaster,  a  native  of  Amherst,  subsequently  located 
in  Charlestown,  Mass.,  and  was  town  clerk  there  more  than  25  yrs.  He 
kept  a  select  school  at  Hillsboro  Center.  He  was  a  brother  of  the  moth- 
ers of  Gov.  Jos.  A.  Gilmore  of  N.  H.  and  Pres.  Asa  Dodge  Smith  of 
Dartmouth  College  (nresident  from  1864  to  1877).  He  d.  at  Carlisle,  Feb. 
8,  1852.     Mrs.  Dodge  d.  July  10,  1846,  leaving  five  dau.  and  one  son. 

3.  Luther,  b.  Sept.  2,  1779,  was  by  trade  a  copper-plate  printer,  set- 
tled in  Boston,  m.  but  had  no  ch.,  d.  at  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  13,  1858. 

4. .  Calvin,  b.  Feb.  5,  1781,  d.  unm.  Nov.  20,  1803,  at  Boston,  of  yellow 
fever. 

5.  William,  b.  Jan.  21,  1783,  m.  Pulsifer,  d.  Aug.  12,  1813,  in 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  149 

New  York  City  of  wound  received  in  War  of  1812.  He  left  two  dau.,  viz: 
Adeline,  m.  John  H.  Osgood,  a  noted  auctioneer  of  Boston,  and  Mary 
Aim,  in.  S.  A.  Ranlet  of  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

6.  Matilda,  b.  Dec.  14,  1785,  m.  George  Killom  of  Hillsborough, 
moved  to  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  d.  there  Nov.  9,  1827,  leaving  five  ch. 

7.  *Asa,  b.  Feb.  5,  17S7. 

8.  Susanna,  b.  March  4,  1780,  m.  Oct.  11,  1806,  *Nathan  Marden,  res. 
Mont  Vernon  and  New  Boston  (res.  New  Boston  firsO.  She  d.  Mont 
Vernon,  Aug.  20,  1843;  eight  ch.  She  was  the  grandmother  of  Hon.  Geo. 
A.  Marden. 

9.  Hannah,  b.  Fell.  1.  1791,  m.  May  22,  1814,  *James  Whittemore  of 
Wevmouth.  Mass.     She  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  31,  1866;  six  ch. 

10.  Zadock,  b.  March  9,  1793,  settled  in  Texas,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.  He 
d.  there  leaving  ch. 

11.  Samuel,  b.  Feb.  15,  1790.  settled  first  in  Mont  Vernon,  removed  to 
Clvde.  N.  Y.,  m.,  had  no  ch.  Wbilc  on  a  visit  to  New  England  he  d.  at 
Billerica.  Mass.,  March  31,  1872,  was  buried  at  Mont  Vernon. 

12.  Pamclia,  b.  Sent.  11.  1797,  m.  1817,  Isaac  Smith;  settled  in  Deering. 
He  d.  Jan.  27,  1855.     She  d.  Oct.  8,  1861  ;  10  ch. 

13.  Nancy,  b.  Feb.  11,  ison;  m.  *Thomas  Cloutman  of  Alont  Vernon, 
d.  Feb.  15,  1877;  11  ch. ;  six  dau.  grew  to  womanhood  and  were  m. 

Asa  Stevens,  son  of  Calvin  and  Esther  (Wilkins")  Stevens,  m.  Mary 
Ann,  dau.  Rev.  Joseph  Aonleton  of  Brookfield,  Mass.  He  was  b.  Hillsboro, 
Feb.  5,  1787,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Tan.  9.  1863;  farmer  and  shoemaker,  lived 
on  the  place  now  occunicd  bv  his  descendants.  His  wife  d.  Nov.  17,  1867, 
aged  76.     Ch.  were  b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  David,  b.  June  8,  1812.  d.  Oct.  28,  1826. 

2.  Calvin,  b.  Mav  28,  1814.  m.  Catherine  E.  Boynton  of  Fa^t  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  d.  in  New  York  City  in  March,  1877.  He  was  a  millionaire; 
three  ch...  one  son,  C.  Amory  Stevens,  and  two  dau.,  Catherine  and  Mrs. 
Grace  Richardson.  The  dau.  in  1896  gave  $5000  towards  the  buildings  of 
the  new  church  here,  in  memory  of  their  father. 

3.  *William,  b.  July  28,  1816. 

4.  Mary  Ann  C.  b.  July  22,  1818,  m.  Oct.  4,  1S42,  George  W.  McCol- 
lom  and  d.  in  New  York  City  in  1865,  leaving  no  ch.  Her  husband,  as  a 
memorial  to  her,  donated  $10,000  to  the  Institute  at  Mont  Vernon. 

5.  Harriet  A.,  b.  Mav  22.  1821.  m.  John  D.  Nutter,  Aug.  8,  1844;  has 
three  sons  and  resides  in  Montreal,  Canada. 

6.  Sarah  Frances,  b.  Aug.  9,  1823,  m.  Ignatius  Tyler,  res.  Montreal; 
no  ch.     He  d.  Aug.  25,  1889. 

7.  Asa.  b.  Jan.  23.  1825,  m.  (1)  Harriet  O.  Howard,  by  whom  he  had 
one  son  and  three  dau.  m.  (2)  Mrs.  S.  J.  Tremere ;  was  a  merchant  in 
New  York  City,  d.  April  10,  1888. 

William  Stevens,  son  of  Asa  and  Mary  A.  (Appleton)  Stevens,  b. 
Mont  Vernon.  July  28,  1816.  He  was  was  a  provision  merchant  in  New 
York  City  many  years.  In  June,  1865,  he  retired  and  returned  to  Mont 
Vernon,  where  he  d.  Jan.  5,  1887.  For  extended  sketch  of  his  life  see 
chapter  on  "Prominent  Men."  He  m.  (1)  Louisa  W.  Dye  of  Newark,  N.  J. 
He  m.  (2)  Jan.  4,  1876,  Helen  L.  COber)  Whipple,  wid.  John  Whipple  of 
New  Boston,  and  dau.  Garv  W.  and  Salome  (Mills)  Ober.  She  was  b. 
July  25,  1842.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  Marv  Ann. 

2.  Ella'L. 


150  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

3.  Katherine. 

4.  Frances  E. 

Daniel  Stevens,  son  of  Daniel  and  Phebe  (Durant)  Stevens,  b.  Stod- 
dard, N.  H.,  March  26,  1785.  His  parents  were  from  Billerica,  Mass., 
where  most  of  their  ch.  were  b.  He  m.  Tabitha,  dau.  Benjmain  and 
Tabitha  (Kittredge)  Sawyer,  b.  Nelson,  N.  H.,  July  16,  1792,  d.  Mont 
Vernon,  Jan.  26,  1883.  He  moved  from  Stoddard  to  Mont  Vernon  in 
1839  and  d.  Sept.  24,  1844.     Ch.  b.  Stoddard: 

1.  James,  b.  1810,  d.  Sept.  17,  1838,  unm„  at  Daysville,  111. 

2.  Elizabeth,  b.  March  22,  1814,  m.  Griffin  Wilson  of  Peterboro  who 
d.  Nashua,  Jan.  26,  1861.  She  m.  (2)  Ebenezer  Fiske  of  Lyndeboro.  She 
d.  Milford,  Dec.  30,  1893,  age  79  yrs.,  9  mos.  By  her  first  husband  she  had 
two  ch.,  Mrs.  Jacob  Nichols  and  Albro  M.  Wilson. 

3.  Elmira,  d.  at  the  age  of  three  years. 

4.  Joshua  D.,  d.  Daysville,  111.,  unm.,  Oct.  4,  1838: 

5.  Levi,  m.  Caroline  Warren  of  Dublin,  N.  H.,  Nov.  9,  1848.  She  d. 
Charlestown,  Mass.,  Dec.  2,  1872.  He  m.  (2)  Jan.  6,  1874,  Mary  E.  Moore. 
He  d.  Boston,  July  9,  1890. 

6.  Sarah  B.,  b.  ,  m.  June  9,  1846,  Samuel  G.  Parker  of  Lowell. 

She  d.  Lowell,  Jan.  10,  1865 ;  three  dau.,  Alice  C,  Evie  M.  and  Lena  S. 

7.  Lydia,  m.  June  18,  1S48,  George  W.  Wilkins  of  New  Boston,  d. 
May  16,  1857;  one  son. 

8.  *Hon.  George  W.,  b.  Oct.  23,  1824,  d.  Lowell,  June  6,  1884,  m.  Sept., 

1850,  Elizabeth  Kimball  of  Littleton,  Mass.     She  d.  Oct.  26,  1891,  at  St. 
Paul,  age  59;  three  ch.,  the  eldest,  George  H.,  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July, 

1851,  lawyer  in  Lowell. 

9.  Mary  M.,  b.  May  17,  1826,  m.  Sept.  17,  1845,  *Albert  G.  Starrett 
of  Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  Nov.  11,  1896;  two  ch. 

10.  *Samuel  N.,  b.  March  13,  1828. 

11.  Adeline,  m.  Thomas  C.  Ryder  of  Dunbarton,  March  23,  1847,  d. 
Feb.  19,  1852  ;  one  ch.,  George  H.  Ryder. 

12.  Caroline  A.,  m.  March  16,  1865,  Dr.  John  P.  Brown  of  Raymond, 
X.  H.,  now  Snpt.  of  Insane  Asylum,  Taunton,  Mass.;  i  ne  dau.,  G<  rtrude,  m 

Samuel  N.  Stevens,  son  of  Daniel  and  Tabitha  (Sawyer)  Stevens,  b. 
Stoddard,  March  i3,  L828,  provision  dealer;  moved  to  Milford  1867,  rem. 
to  Mont  Vernon  1895,  m.  March  19,  1854,  Nancv  M..  dau.  Dea.  Josiah  and 
Relief  CBatchelder)  Kittredge,  b.  Mo.it  Vernon,  March  9,  1832.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Josephine  M.,  b.  May  30,  1855,  m.  Sept.  27,  1883,  William  F.,  son 
of  Francis  J.  and  Betsey  A.  (Robinson)   French  of  Milford  and  res.  there. 

2.  Charles  Newell,  b.  July  10,  1857,  is  a  hotel  steward,  res.  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  m.  Tan.  11,  1892,  Jennie  J.  Shattuck  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

3.  Hattie  Adella,  b.  May  6,  1860. 

SAWYER. 

Hon.  Aaron  Flint  Sawyer  was  b.  April  24,  1780,  at  Westm'nster.  Mass. 
grad.  Dartmouth  College,  1804,  commenced  practice  of  law  in  Mont  Ver- 
non in  1807,  removed  to  Nashua  about  1828,  d.  there  Jan.  4,  1847.  Repre- 
sented Mont  Vernon  in  1827,  and  Nashua  in  1847;  m.  Aug.  20,  1811,  Han- 
nah, granddaughter  Rev.  Samuel  Locke,  D.  D.,  president  of  Harvard  Col- 
lege from  1770  to  1773.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.     Samuel  Locke,  m.  Mary  Cathaway;  had  two  sons  and  one  dau., 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  151 

lived  Independence,  Mo.,  where  he  d.  March  30,  1890,  age  77  yrs.,  4  raos. 
He  was  a  leading  member  of  the  bar  of  Missouri,  a  circuit  judge  and  mem- 
ber Congress  one  term. 

2.  Charlotte,  b.  July  1.  181  fi,  m.  Aaron  P.  Hughes,  Esq.,  of  Nashua, 
Nov.  17,  1845;  ch.,  James  A.  D.,  b.  Sept.  (5,  1846,  grad.  Dartmouth  1869, 
m.  Emma  Mininger ;  for  many  years  was  an  Episcopal  clergyman  in  Mo., 
now  a   farmer   there. 

2.  Aaron,  b.  Feb.  20,  1849,  grad.  Dartmouth  1871,  res.  Nashua,  unm. 

3.  *Aaron  W.,  b.  Oct.  11,  1818. 

4.  Flint  H.,  b.  Nov.  2,  1821,  m.   Martha  J.   Colburn;  no  ch. 

5.  Catherine,  b.  April  25,  ]825,  m.  John  Taft  of  Worcester,  two  ch. 
lived  in  Worcester. 

Hon.  Aaron  Worcester  Sawyer,  son  of  Hon.  Aaron  F.  and  Hannah 
(Locke)  Sawyer,  was  b.  in  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  11,  1818,  and  d.  in  Nashua, 
Aug.  23,  1882.  The  first  few  years  of  his  life  was  passed  in  Mont  Vernon, 
from  which  place  his  father  removed  about  1828  to  Nashua.  He  was  edu- 
cated at  the  public  schools  of  Nashua  and  the  academies  of  Hancock, 
Derry  and  Nashua.  Afterwards  he  taught  school  several  years,  also 
studied  law.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1844,  and  in  1846  began  the 
practice  of  law  in  Nashua.  From  that  time  until  1872  his  professional 
career  was  continuous,  uninterrupted  and  successful.  He  served  as  Rep- 
resentative from  Nashua  and  Senator  in  the  State  Legislature,  and  from 
1867  until  July,  1876,  he  held  the  office  of  register  in  bankruptcy.  On  the 
22d  of  July,  1876,  he  received  from  Governor  Cheney  his  commission  as 
associate  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  but  failing  health  obliged  him  to 
resign  his  office  within  two  years.  Judge  Sawyer  was  not  only  an  emi- 
nent lawyer  and  jurist,  but  also  a  devoted  laborer  in  the  vineyard  of  Christ. 
He  was  a  licensed  minister  of  the  Congregational  faith,  active  and  useful 
in  all  Christian  work.  He  m.  (1)  Alary  Frances  lngalls  of  New  York 
City,  m.  (2)  Fanny,  dau.  of  Francis  and  Almira  (Stetson)  Winch,  of 
Nashua,  Sept.  12,  1855.  Their  ch.  were:  Fanny  lngalls  (deceased),  Fanny 
Locke,  m.  Dr.  Bowers  a  dentist  in  Nashua;  Aaron  Frank  (deceased), 
and  William  Merriam,  b.  Sept.  9,  1873,  fitted  for  college,  Exeter,  N.  H., 
graduated  Williams  College,  1893,  Boston  Law  School,  1S98,  admitted  to 
bar  at  Concord,  m,  June  23,  1898,  Marion  Stimpson. 

STILES. 

David  Stiles,  b.  Feb.  4.  1811,  d.  Tan.  24,  1881,  m.  Margery  M.  Good- 
ridge,  May  13,  1841,  of  Lyndeboro.  She  was  b.  April  23,  181 0,  d.  Dec.  31, 
1884.  He  came  to  Mont  Vernon  about  1840,  occupied  the  farm  now  oc- 
cupied by  Win.  Ryan,  afterwards  in  East  Dist..  moved  to  Lvndeboro,  was 
killed  by  railroad,  Jan.  24,  1881.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

1.  Benjamin    G.,   b.   Jan.   9,    1845,    d.   Jan.    28,    1845. 

2.  Maria,  b.  Jan.  2,  1S47,  d.  Jan.  2,  1847. 

3.  *David  A.,   b.  June  24,   1849. 

4.  Maria  E.,  b.  May  11,  1851,  d.  April  5,  1868. 

5.  Lucie  S.,  b.   March  28,  1854;   teacher:   res.   Minneapolis,   Minn. 

David  A.  Stiles,  son  of  David  and  Margery  M.  (Goodridge)  Stiles,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  June  24,  1849,  d.  Wilton,  April*  11,  1899,  m.  Nov.  27,  1873, 
Eugelia  J.  Brooks  of  Greenfield,  N.  H.  She  was  b.  Dublin,  N.  H.,  Sept. 
30,  1854,  res.  Wilton.  Mr.  Stiles  was  a  schoolmaster,  taught  Antrim, 
Greenfield  and  Mont  Vernon  ;  moved  from  here  to  Wilton.     Ch. 


152  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.  Lillian  F.,  b.  Francestown,  May  15,  1877. 

2.  Edith  M.,  b.  Francestown,  Jan.  23,  1879. 

3.  Annabel  M.,  b.  Antrim,  June  13,  1883. 

4.  Lucie  G.,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  21,  1886. 
All  the  ch.  live  in  Wilton. 

Cyrus  Stiles,  b.  Middleton,  Mass.,  May  13,  1753,  d.  in  Amherst,  Aug. 
24,  1831,  m.  Oct.  29,  1789,  Hannah  Berry.  She  was  b.  in  Middleton,  March 
14,  1771,  d.  Amherst,  Sept.  28,  1852.  They  lived  in  the  East  Dist.  but  af- 
terwards rem.  to  Amherst.     He  was  a  voter  here  in  1804.     Ch. 

1.  Cyrus,  b.  Middleton,  Mass.,  Feb.  25,  1790,  d.  Amherst,  1794. 

2.  Hannah,  b.  Middleton,  Mass.,  April  1,  1792,  m.  Nov.  29,  1813, 
Joseph  Prince  of  Amherst,  rem.  to  Warren,  Pa.,  d.  Jan.  13,  1837. 

3.  Hiram,  d.  young. 

4.  Mary,  m.  Peter  McNeil  of  New  Boston,  Sept.  23,  1818,  d.  New 
Boston,  1882. 

5.  Abby,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  aged  14. 

6.  Cynthia,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  aged  14. 

7.  Elizabeth  B.,  d.  March  13,  1874,  aged  74,  unm. 

8.  Lydia,  b.  May  10,  1804,  m.  April,  1838,  George  H.  Shaw  of  Am- 
herst.    She  d.  July  20,  1884,  aged  80  years. 

9.  Josiah,  d.  Lynn,  Mass.,  Aug.  3,;  1868,  age  59  yrs. 

STINSON. 

William  Stark  Stinson,  b.  July  9,  1792;  came  to  Mont  Vernon  from 
Dunbarton ;  lived  in  village;  jeweller;  d.  Feb.  23,  1845,  age  56  yrs.,  7  mos., 
14  dys.  He  m.  (1)  Sept.  12,  1816,  Lois,  dau.  Rev.  John  and'Lois  (Wil- 
kins)  Bruce  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b.  1793,  d.  Oct.  5,  1823.  He  m. 
(2)  Anna  Gray,  who  d.  July  26,  1829,  age  29.  He  m.  (3)  Sarah  Twiss  of 
Dunbarton.  She  was  b.  May  4,  1798,  Dunbatron,  d.  Dunbarton,  July  12, 
1884.     Ch.  all  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  Marv  L.,  b.  June,   1817,  d.  July,   1818. 

2.  *WilHam  A.,  b.  Feb.  22,  1819. 

3.  Bruce,  was  a  shoemaker  in  Stoneham. 

4.  Washington,  minister,  lived  in  Illinois. 
Ch.  by  third  wife : 

5.  Sarah  A.,  b.  Dec.  21,  1835,  m.  David  Story  of  Dunbarton,  d.  Dun- 
barton, March  4,  1887;  three  ch. 

6.  Mary  A.,  b.   March  18,  1838,  d.  July  14,   1875,   unm. 

7.  *Charles  F.,  b.  Oct.  24,  1840. 

William  A.  Stinson,  son  of  William  S.  and  Lois  (Bruce)  Stinson,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  22,  1819 ;  lived  in  his  father'  house  in  village ;  worked 
in  Conant's  box  shop,  d.  Sept.  10,  1876;  m.  Sept.  24,  1846,  Nancy  A.,  dau. 
Thomas  and  Nancy  (Stevens)  Cloutman.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct. 
26,  1824,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  18,  1898.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon : 

1.  *Thomas  Henry,  b.  Nov.   18,  1848. 

2.  Emmie  R,  b.  April  1.  1855,  m.  Dec.  5,  1883,  Guilford  U.  Carlton 
of  Goffstown ;  res.  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

3.  Annie  F.,  b.  April  22,  1860,  d.  June  30,   1872. 

Major  Charles  Frederick  Stinson,  son  of  William  S.  and  Sarah 
(Twiss)  Stinson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  24,  1840,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  March 


MAJOR    CHARLES    F.    STINSON. 
Deacon   from   1891   to   1893. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  153 

10,  1893;  m.  Nov.  28,  1867,  Ella  Louise  Russell,  dau.  Walter  Russell  of 
Watertown,  Mass.  She  was  b.  Aug.  27,  1846,  d.  March  3,  1900.  He  was 
in  the  13th  N.  H.  Regt.  in  Civil  War,  afterwards  Major  of  a  colored  com- 
pany. He  was  a  partner  with  his  nephew,  T.  II.  Stinson,  in  Boston,  in 
manufacture  of  boxes,  etc. ;  came  to  Mont  Vernon  1882.  Ch.  b.  Charles- 
town,  Mass. 

1.  *William   Stark,  1).  Jan.  22,  1870. 

2.  Charles  Frederick,  b.  May  24,  1876 ;  has  a  position  in  a  chemical 
factory  in  Boston. 

3.  Lucy  Russell,  1).  Aug.  17,  1877;   res.  Waltham,  Mass. 

Thomas  Henry  Stinson,  son  of  William  A.  and  Nancy  A.  (Cloutman) 
Stinson,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  18,  1848;  m.  Sept.  24,  1874,  Nellie  M. 
Woods  of  Hollis,  N.  H.  He  d.  Jan.  3,  1895,  Winchester.  He  was  in  the 
real  estate  business  for  a  few  years;  in  business  in  the  manufacture  of 
boxes  with  G.  F.  Stinson.  afterwards  was  town  clerk  of  Winchester.    Ch. 

1.  William  H.,  b.  July  7,  1875. 

2.  Annie  E.,  b.  Nov.  10,  1876. 

3.  Mabel  W.,  b.  Feb.  19,  1878. 

4.  Charles  Pressv,  b.  July  19,  1880,  d.  July  6,  1900. 

5.  Richard  I.,  b.  July  22,  1881. 

6.  Helen  E.,  b.  May  19,  1887. 

William  Stark  Stinson,  son  of  Major  Charles  F.  and  Ella  L.  (Russell) 
Stinson,  b.  Charlestown,  Mass.,  Jan.  22,  1870;  m.  June  13,  1893,  Myra  W., 
dau.  Henry  and  Myra  (  Woodman)  Clement  of  Wintcrport,  Me.  She  was 
b.  Wintcrport,  Me.,  Feb.  28,  1872.  Res.  Mont  Vernon.  Ch.  b.  Mont 
Vernon  : 

1.  Clement  Russell,  b.  Dec.  2,  1894. 

2.  Mildred  Louise,  b.  May  30,  1896. 

3.  Katherine  Shepard,  b.  Feb.  8,  1898. 

Col.  William  H.  Stinson,  son  of  William  C.  and  Sarah  E.  (Poor) 
Stinson,  b.  Dunbarton,  July  2,  1851,  m.  Sept.  30,  1885,  Ellen  F.,  dau.  Dea. 
William  II.  and  S.  Emeline  (Cloutman)  Conant  of  Mont  Vernon.  She 
was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  IS,  1857.  Was  Master  of  State  Grange;  was 
a  member  of  Gov.  Clias.  H.  Bell's  staff;  was  a  statistical!  several  years; 
moved  from  Mont  Vernon  to  Dunbarton  in  1895,  now  resides  at  Goffstown. 
Ch. 

1.  Daniel  Chase,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  9,  1886. 

2.  William  Conant,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dee.  9,  1888. 

3.  Grace  Isabel,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  9,  1891. 

4.  Cecil  Ray,  b.  Dunbarton,  May  28,  1895. 

5.  Dorothy  May,  b.  Dunbarton,  Dec.  16,  1896. 

STORY. 

Simon  Story  lived  in  the  North  Dist,  near  the  New  Boston  line,  m 
Mindwill  Smith,  dau.  Dea.  Daniel  and  Polly  (Carleton)  Smith.  They 
mover!  to  Antrim  in  I860. 

William,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  13,  1846,  m.  Nellie  Brooks,  now  of 
Antrim;  one  ch.,  William. 

Albert  T.,  d.  Nov.  2,  1850,  aged  1  year. 

SWINNINGTON. 
Elisha  Swinnington,  m.  (1)  Betsey  Temple.     She  d.  July  25,  1840,  age 


154  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

45.  He  m.  (2)  Sarah  Hood,  dan.  Joseph  and  Eleanor  (Woodbury)  Hood 
of  Milford,  b.  Milford,  Jan.  25,  1807,  d.  June  28,  1883,  age  76.  He 
d.  May  6,  1870,  age  80.  He  lived  on  the  farm  in  the  South  Dist.  after- 
wards owned  by  his  son,  Josiah,  now  by  his  granddaughter,  Mrs.  O.  M. 
Spalding.  He  d.  May  6,  1S70,  age  80.  Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 
Ch.  by  first  wife : 

1.  *Josiah,  b.  Dec.  4,  1819. 

2.  Hannah,  d.  of  consumption. 

3.  Elizabeth,  m.  *Granville  Parker ;  d. 

Josiah  Swinnington,  son  of  Elisha  and  Betsey  (Temple)  Swinning- 
ton,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  4,  1819,  d.  April  21,  1902;  lived  on  and  owned 
his  father's  farm  in  South  Dist.,  m.  Oct.  27,  1842,  Sarah  J.,  dau.  Israel 
and  Catherine  (Talbot)  Farnum.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  25, 
1818;  d.   Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  28,  1879.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Martin  L.,  b.  Feb.  10,  18-M,  d.  Feb.  25,  1S45. 

2.  Abby  T.,  b.  Dec.  23,  1S48,  m.  Nov.  20,  1879,  *Franklin  Trow,  d. 
June  1,  1886;  one  son. 

3.  Hannah  E.,  b.  Oct.  4,  1S50,  m.  Jan.  18,  1SG9,  *Otis  M.  Spalding; 
res.  Mont  Vernon;  four  ch. 

4.  Albert  E.,  b.  May  30,  1855,  m.  June  29,  1881,  Kate,  dau.  Eli  Clark 
and  Betsey  A.  (Curtis)  Curtis  of  Lyndeboro ;  res.  Lyndeboro;  one  dau., 
Clara  B. 

5.  Ida  B.,  b.  May  25,  1860,  m.  Nov.  23,  1875,  *John  A.  Billiard  of 
Mont  Vernon;  three  ch. ;  res.  Lyndeboro. 

Abigail  Swinnington  (sister  Elisha)  m.  Dec.  11,  1825,  Jesse  Averill 
of  Mont  Vernon. 

Mary  Swinnington  (sister  Elisha)  m.  Jan.  22,  1824,  John  Phelps,  Jr., 
of  Wilmot. 

Job  Swinnington   (brother  Elisha)   m.  1818,  Betsey  Clark. 

TARBELL. 

Joseph  II.  Tarbell,  son  of  William  and  Lydia  (Spaulding)  Tarbell,  b. 
Exeter,  N.  H„  Aug.  25,  1822,  d.  Dec.  25,  1S98;  m.  Aug.  23,  1844,  Harriet 
N.,  dau.  James  and  Azubah  (Curtis)  Hopkins  Hopkins.  She  was  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  April  26,  1824.  At  the  age  of  four  he  entered  the  family  of  an 
uncle,  Col.  Benj.  Hutchinson  of  Milford,  where  he  lived  until  18  years  of 
age.  He  located  here  upon  marriage,  lived  on  a  farm  in  South  Dist.  Ch. 
b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  George  Fred,  b.  Oct.  19,  1848,  m.  March  25,  1S74.  Helen  M.,  dau. 
Stephen  C.  and  Lucy  (Averill)  Langdell.  She  was  b.  Nov.  8,  1846,  in 
Mont  Vernon;  farmer;  res.  South  Dist.     Ch. 

1.  Alice  Grace,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Tunc  22,  1SS2. 

2.  Emma,  b.  Aug.  29,  1S55,  m.  Charles  L.  Perham  of  Lyndeboro, 
Feb.  14,  1878;  res.  Lyndeboro;  one  dau.,  Bertha,  b.  Oct.  20,  1884. 

TEMPLE. 

Arthur  Prince  Temple,  son  of  George  T.  and  Hattie  A.  (Prince) 
Temple,  b.  Milford,  May  12,  1875.  He  has  resided  in  Mont  Vernon  since 
1895  and  is  a  junior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Blood  &  Temple,  village  grocers. 
He  is  a  lineal  descendant  on  his  mother's  side  of  Lieut.  Joseph  Prince, 
one   of   the   proprietors   of   that   part    of   Souhegan    West,    which    is   now 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  155 

Mont  Vernon.     lie  m.  April  27,   1898,   M.   Susie,  dau.  of  D.   Porter  and 
Susan  (Cloutman)   Kendall.     She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  3,  1867.     Ch. 
Blanche  E.,  b.  Aug.  12,  1900,  d.  Sept.  29,  1900. 

THORPE. 

Rev.  John  Thorpe,  b.  May  4,  1845,  Newton  Heath,  Manchester,  Eng., 
son  of  Joel  and  Sarah  (Brown)  Thorpe,  both  silk  weavers.  John  was  the 
sixth  of  11  ch.  seven  girls  and  four  boys;  m.  1869,  Emily  A.  Bennett; 
came  to  Mont  Vernon  as  minister  in  1888;  remained  until  Sept.,  1894;  is 
now  preaching  at  Centre  Harbor,  N.  H. ;  no  ch. 

TODD. 

George  W.  Todd,  b.  Rindge,  N.  IT.,  Nov.  9,  1828.  He  obtained  his 
earlier  education  there.  He  grad.  at  the  Law  School,  Poughkeepsie,  N. 
Y.  Was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1856.  Was  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  eight  years  principally  in  Glover,  Vt.  In  this  place  he  was  also 
Principal  of  the  Orleans  Institute  for  seven  years.  During  this  time  and 
previously  he  had  acquired  a  good  knowledge  of  medicine,  so  that  when 
he  decided  upon  teaching  for  his  life  work  as  being  best  adapted  to  his 
taste  and  inclination  he  brought  to  that  profession  a  general  knowledge 
that  was  invaluable  to  him  as  an  instructor.  To  teaching  he  devoted  his 
talents,  his  large  experience,  his  life.  He  taught  6000  students  in  the  gram- 
mar, high  schools  and  academies  of  Vermont,  New  Hampshire  and  Massa- 
chusetts. He  was  a  Supt.  of  Schools  16  years.  In  1872  he  came  to  McCol- 
lom  Institute  and  continued  here  six  years.  He  began  with  less  than  30 
students  and  by  his  energy  and  constant  exertion  increased  the  number  to 
100  several  terms.  His  enthusiasm  for  the  success  of  the  school  was  al- 
most boundless.  He  infused  new  life  into  every  department.  Interest  in 
the  classics  and  higher  English  branches  was  revived  and  the  standard  of 
the  institution  improved.  The  dull  were  encouraged,  and  for  those  who 
needed  he  always  had  a  helping  hand  and  a  kind  word.  In  May,  1878,  he 
resigned,  but  having  been  elected  a  State  Senator  for  two  years  he  did  not 
change  his  residence  until  the  Spring  of  1S80,  when  he  removed  to  Rindge, 
teaching  there  until  1884,  when  he  accepted  the  principalship  of  Eaton's 
Commercial  College,  Norwidgewock,  Me.,  where  he  d.  of  typhoid  pneumo- 
nia, April  15,  18S4.  Mr.  Todd  represented  Rindge  in  the  N.  H.  Legisla- 
ture two  vears.  In  Aug.,  1857,  he  m.  Miss  Marv  J.  Blodgett  of  Jaffrey. 
N.  H.  She  d.  Sept.,  1864.  In  1869  he  m.  Miss  Sarah  J.,  dau.  of  Dea.  Henry 
Chapin  of  Holyoke,  Mass.,  and  a  successful  teacher  in  her  native  city.  She 
resides  in  Holvoke.     Ch.  bv  first  wife: 

1.  Frank  T.,  b.  1863,  d.  Sept.  30,  1864,  aged  15  months. 
Ch.   by   second   wife: 

2.  Geo.  Frank  Chapin,  b.  Rindge,  N.  H.,  July  9,  1880;  res.  Holyoke, 
Mass. 

TOWLE. 

Charles  A.  Towle,  b.  Epsom,  N.  IT.,  grad.  Dartmouth  College  1864, 
Principal  McCollom  Institute  from  1864  to  1866;  studied  at  Andover  Theo- 
logical Seminary  two  years  and  one  year  at  Chicago,  grad.  Chicago  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  1869  ;  pastor  in  Sandwich,  Til.,  four  years  and  in  Chicago 
nine  years,  and  in  Monticello,  Iowa,  was  Supt.  Congregational  Sunday 
School  and  Publishing  Society  for  Iowa,  with  residence  at  Ginnell  in  that 
State.     He  d.  Feb.  22,  1899. 


156  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

TOWNE. 

James  D.  Towne,  son  of  Samuel  Towne,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  23, 
1810;  lived  in  the  South  Dist.,  in  the  house  near  Trow's  Pond;  was  select- 
man, farmer  and  miller ;  d.  Dec.  10,  1856,  age  46  yrs.,  7  mos.,  17  dys.  He 
m.  Jane  E.,  dau.  Jesse  and  Nancy  (Cochran)  Trow  of  Mont  Vernon,  July 
11,  1839.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  2,  1818,  d.  April  5,  1856.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  James  D.,  b.  Jan.  4,  1840,  enlisted  as  private  in  1861  in  the  Second 
Regt.,   U.   S.  Vol.   Sharpshooters,  d.   Washington,  D.   C,  Dec.  20,   1861. 

2.  *George  E.,  b.   March  22,   1842. 

3     Nancy  Jane,  b.  Feb.  12,  1844,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  March  26,  1883. 

4.  Pamelia  Annett,  b.  March   13,  1851,  d.   March  14.  1855. 

5.  Willie  E.,  d.  Aug.,  1856,  age  five  mos. 

George  E.  Towne,  son  of  James  D.  and  Jane  E.  (Trow)  Towne,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  March  22,  1842;  lived  in  South  Dist.,  in  Mont  Vernon; 
moved  to  Amherst,  18S7 ;  lives  on  a  farm  which  he  owns  (formerly  of 
Amos  Green)  on  Christian  Hill,  Amherst,  m.  Nov.  28,  1882,  Sarah  E. 
Cullen  of  Glenham,  N.  Y.     She  was  b.  Feb.  23,  1851.     Ch. 

1.  Laura  Ella,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  April  27,  1884. 

2.  Alice  Emma,  b.  Amherst,  Sept.  8,  1887. 

3.  Guy  Everett,  b.  Amherst,  Nov.  19,  1889. 

4.  Maud  Ethelyn,  b.  Amherst,  Dec.  12,  1891. 

James  C.  Towne,  b.  Greenfield,  N.  H.,  Aug.  2,  1822;  m.  (1)  Mary 
Jane  Swinnington,  1849.  She  was  a  native  of  Mont  Vernon  and  a  dau. 
of  Job  Swinnington.  She  d.  1852.  He  m.  (2)  Margaret  Walker  of  Antrim, 
who  d.  1868.  He  m.  (3)  Jan.  9.  1873,  Mrs.  Esther  W.  (Smith)  Douglass, 
dau.  James  and  Catherine  (Caswell)  Smith.  She  was  b.  Mont-  Vernon* 
Nov.  25,  1873.  He  came  here  from  Hancock,  lived  on  the  Reilly  place  on 
the  turnpike  several  years;  was  a  butcher;  moved  to  Peterboro  in  1891 
Ch.  bv  first  wife  : 

1.  Lizzie  B.,  twin,  b.  1852,  res.  Peterboro. 

2.  George  A.,  twin,  b.  1852,  res.  Greenfield. 
Ch.  by  third  wife: 

3.  James  Otis,  b.   Hancock,  July  22,   1873 ;   m.,   res.   Dunbarton. 

4.  William  W.,  b.  Hancock,  Nov.  6,  1874. 

5.  Charles  A.,  b.   Hancock,   Nov.  4,  1876. 

6.  Laura  Josephine,  b.  Hancock,  Nov.  26,  1878. 

7.  Bessie  M.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  7,  1881. 

8.  Ida  Belle,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  9,  1882. 

9.  Frederic  H.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  26,  1886. 

10.  Daisy,  b.   Mont  Vernon,   Dec.  3,   1889. 

11.  Winnie,  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

12.  Ernest,  twin,  b.  Peterboro. 

13.  Elmer,   twin,  b.   Peterboro. 

TRAVIS. 

Alonzo  Travis,  son  of  William  and  Lydia  (Sargent)  Travis,  b.  Hills- 
borough, Oct.,  1816,  m.  Maria,  dau.  of  James  and  Abigail  (Pollard) 
Baldwin  of  Hillsboro,  April  3,  1846.  She  was  b.  Hillsboro,  Jan.  24,  1821, 
d.  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.  20,  1891;  was  moderator  14  years,  town  clerk  10 
years,  selectman  four  years,  Representative  in  1853,  1854  and  1855,  also 
justice  of  peace.     He  d.  Aug.  22,  1891.     Ch. 


CAPT.   JOHN    TREVITT. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  157 

1.  Addie  M.,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  16,  1846,  m.  John  G.  Dodge  of 
Goffstown,  d.  Jan.  14,  1883,  at  Goffstown,  aged  36;  no  cli. 

Jennie  W.  Beal,  an  adopted  dau.  of  Air.  and  Mrs.  Travis,  m.  Elmer  E. 
Smith  of  Manchester,  in   1892. 

TREVITT. 

Richard  Trevitt  came  from  England  and  was  killed  by  the  Indians  at 
Fort  William  Henry.  He  left  a  little  son,  Henry  Trevitt,  b.  at  Marble- 
head  in  1755,  who  at  ten  years  of  age  came  to  Mont  Vernon  with  his  step- 
father, Amos  Steel,  and  here  grew  to  manhood,  engaged  in  active  service 
in  the  War  of  the  Revolution  and  fought  under  Stark  at  Bennington.  He 
moved  to  Ohio  and  died  in  Licking  Co.,  Aug.  27,  1850,  aged  96.  His  ch. 
were  nine,  seven  sons  and  two  dau.  His  wife,  Jane,  b.  1761,  d.  Oct.  28, 
1816. 

Capt.  James  Thompson  Trevitt,  eldest  son  of  Henry  and  Jane  (Steel) 
Trevitt,  led  a  company  at  Portsmouth  in  1814  (War  of  1812).  He  lived  on 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  his  dau. -in-law,  Mrs.  John  Trevitt.  He  d. 
Aug.  2,  1858,  aged  72.  He  m.  June  29,  1815,  Sally,  dau.  of  Jonathan  and 
Margaret  Gillis  of  Greenfield,  N.  H.  She  was  b.  Greenfield,  Jan.  10,  1788, 
d.  Mont  Vernon,  Dec.  10,  1867.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  Margaret,  d.  July  18,  1817.  aged  one  day. 

2.  Sarah  Jane,  b.  Sent.  22,  1818,  m.  Dec.  17,  1874,  *Dr.  Sylvanus  Bun- 
ton  of  Mont  Vernon.     She  d.   Mont  Vernon,   Dec.   26,   1S99. ' 

3.  Henry  Flint,  b.  April  23,  1820,  d.  Dec.  31,  1820. 

4.  *John,  b.  Oct.  9,  1821. 

5.  *Henrv,  b.  Aug.  10,  1823. 

6.  James  T.,  b.  Sept.  23,  1825,  d.  Oct.  14,  1825. 

Capt.  John  Trevitt,  son  of  Capt.  James  T.  and  Sally  (Gillis)  Trevitt, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  9,  1821.  In  Sept..  1837,  he  went  to  Perry  Co.,  Ohio, 
to  study  medicine  with  his  uncle,  Dr.  Wm.  Trevitt.  From  there  he  was 
appointed  a  cadet  to  West  Point  Military  Academy,  which  he  entered  in 
1840,  graduating  in  1844.  He  entered  the  army  as  Lieut,  of  Infantry.  He 
served  successfully  on  garrison  duty  at  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.,  in  the  Mexican 
War,  and  on  frontier  service.  From  1850  to  1S53'  he  was  in  charge  of 
the  recruiting  service  in  the  Third  Infantry  in  Boston.  In  Dec,  1860,  he 
resigned  and  returned  to  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  lived  on  his  father's 
farm.  He  was  a  farmer  and  fruit  grower.  In  1874  and  1875  he  was  Rep- 
resentative, and  was  selectman  five  years,  was  also  Trustee  of  McCollom 
Institute.  He  m.  Feb.  24,  1862,  Ellen  W.  Stayner,  dau.  of  Henry  M.  Stay- 
ner  of  Lyndeboro.  She  res.  Newtonville,  Mass.,  and  Mont  Vernon.  Ch. 
b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Lucia  Ellen,  b.  June  17,  1863,  m.  June  11,  1891,  George  W.  Aur- 
yansen  of  Newtonville,  Mass. ;  res.  Newtonville,  Mass. 

2.  Mary  Victoria,  b.  Dec.  23,  1864;  res.  Mont  Vernon  and  Newton- 
ville, Mass. 

Dr.  Henry  Trevitt.  son  of  Capt.  James  T.  and  Sally  (Gillis)  Trevitt, 
b  Mont  Vernon,  N.  H.,  Aug.  10,  1823,  completed  his  medical  studies  at 
Columbus,  Ohio,  returned  to  New  Hampshire  in  1861,  settled  in  East  Wil- 
ton and  practised  there  until  his  death.  July  3,  1898.  Jan.  27.  1874,  he  m 
Eleanor  Winslow  Benedict,  dau.  John  and  Mareraret  (Winslow)  Benedict 
of  Boston.     She  was  b.  May  11,  1850.    Ch.  b.  Wilton. 


158  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.  Carita.  b.  Sept.  25,  1875. 

2.  Lotta  T.,  b.  Jan.  3,  1879,  d.  Aug.,  1903. 

3.  Harry  B.,  b.   May  3,   1881. 

4.  Annie  L.,  b.  May  21,  1883. 

Eli  Trevitt,  son  of  Henry  and  Jane  Trevitt,  m.  (1)  Sally  Stinson  of 
Johnson,  Vt,  Feb.  4,  1825.  She  was  b.  Dunbarton,  N.  H.,  March  4,  1800, 
d.  Alexandria,  Ohio,  Jan.  14,  1846.  He  m.  (2)  Sept.  7,  1847,  Mary 
Richards,  b.  Jan.  18,  1813.  He  removed  from  Johnson,  Vt.  to  Mont  Ver- 
non in  1829.     In  1842  they  went  to  Alexandria,  Ohio,  where  he  d.    Ch. 

1.  David,  b.  Dec.  13,  1825,  m.  Usena  Ames.  He  d.  Ohio,  May  2, 
1880;   2   ch.,   Frank  and   Lina. 

2.  Victor,  b.  May  2,  1827.  In  1846  he  entered  the  printing  office  of 
Col.  Medary  in  Columbus,  Ohio.  In  1846  he  went  to  the  Mexican  War. 
In  1851  he  emigrated  overland  to  Oregon,  and  resumed  his  trade  in 
Oregon  City.  In  1882  he  m.  the  widow  of  Judge  Miller  in  Tdabo.  He  d. 
in  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  Jan.  22,  1883,  whence  he  had  gone  for  the  benefit 
of  his  health. 

Dr.  William  Trevitt,  youngest  son  of  Henry  and  Jane  Trevitt,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  7,  1809,  lived  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  (For  extended  ac- 
count of  him  see  Chapter  on  "Prominent  Men,"  in  History  Manuscript),  m. 
Lucinda  Butler  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  had  6  ch.,  onlv  two  of  whom  are  living, 
Butler  and   Carlos.     He   d.   Feb.   8,   1881. 

TROW. 

Joseph  Trow,  b.  Beverly,  m.  Martha  Dodge,  May  21,  1767.  He  was 
a  minute  man  of  the  Revolution.  He  settled  on  the  farm  now  occupied 
by  his  grandson,  Arthur  A.  Trow,  in  the  South  District.  He  was  a 
shoemaker,  and  probably  came  here  in  the  early  eighties.  His  older 
children  were  born  at  Beverly,  the  youngest  ones  at  Mont  Vernon. 
He  d.  Mav  8,  1833,  aged  93.     His  wife  d.  Nov.  30,  1843,  aged  97.     Ch. 

1.  *Joseph,  b.  Feb.  13,  1768. 

2.  George,  b.  Feb.  21,  1770,  grew  up. 

3.  Martha,  b.  March  31.  1772,  m.  Dec.  6,  1795,  Dr.  Stephen  Pea- 
body,  son  of  Col.  Stephen  Peabody,  settled  in  Orange,  Vt. 

4.  Molly,  b.  March  5,  1774. 

5.  John,  b.   March   10,   1776. 

6.  Josiah,  b.  March  20,  1778,  of  Barre,  Vt. 

7.  Joanna,  b.  Feb.  28,  1780,  m.  March  11,  1802,  Nathaniel  Phillips  of 
Vermont. 

8.  John,  b.  Oct.  24,  1782. 

9.  Allen,  b.  Sept.  13,  1784,  m.  Sarah,  dau.  Phineas  and  Sarah  (Hil- 
dreth")   Jones  of  Amherst. 

10.  Hannah,  b.  July  21,  1786,  m.  March  10,  1812,  *Nathan  Green  of 
Mont  Vernon.  He  d.  "Lowell,  Jan.  15,  1857.  She  d.  Boston,  Sept.  8, 
1862.     Five  ch. 

11.  *Jesse,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  20,  1788. 

12.  Levi,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  18,  1790,  m.  May  7,  1812,  Betsey 
Averill.     Settled  in  Goshen. 

13.  Anstis,  b.  Mont  Vernon,'  Feb.  17,  1795",  m.  a  Mr.  Frost  of 
Cambridge. 

Joseph  Trow,  son  of  Joseph  and  Martha  (Dodge)  Trow,  b.  Feb.  13, 
1768,  came  with  his  parents  to  Mont  Vernon,  m.  Betsey,  dau.  Joseph  and 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  159 

Emma  (Dodge)  Perkins,  m.  Feb.  10.  1791.  She  d.  Aug.  22,  1851,  age  83. 
He  d.  Aug.  1.  1859.  lie  lived  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  his  great 
grandson.  Charles  H.  Trow,  in  the  North  District.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Emma,  b.  Aug.  18.  1791,  m.  March  :.',  1815,  *Charles  W.  Wilkins. 
She  d.   Lowell,  Jan.   26,   1868. 

2.  *Joseph,  b.  Jan.  28,  1794. 

3.  Martha  D..  b.  Feb.  7,  1790,  m.  July  3,  1825,  *StoweIl  Bancroft. 
She  (1.  Dec.   15,  1876. 

4.  Retscy.  b.  Jan.  28,  1798,  d.  num.,  May  16,  1879. 

5.  Sabrina,  b.  Oct.  15,  1800,  m.  Joseph  Underwood,  June  30,  1844,  of 
Mont  Vernon.     She  d.  Lancaster,  Mass.,  May  22,  1890,  no  ch. 

6.  Sophronia.  b.  June  4,  1806,  m.  June  18,  1829,  Milton  McCollom  of 
Mont  Vernon.      She  d.    Feb.    12,   1885,   4    ch. 

7.  Perkins,   d.    Aug.    .10,    1812,   aged   3   years,   4   months. 

Jesse  Trow,  son  of  Joseph  and  Martha  (Dodge")  Trow,  b.  Mont 
Vernon.  Julv  20,  1788.  m.  Nov.  16.  1815,  Nancy,  dau.  of  John  and  Nancy 
(Washer)  Cochran.  She  d.  Sept.  25,  1878.  age  SC.  He  lived  on  the  home- 
stead in  the  South   District,  d.   May  20,  1866.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Nancy,  b.   May  29,  1816.  d.  Julv  22,   1838. 

2.  Jane  E.,  b.  Dec.  2,  1818,  m.  James  D.  Towne,  Julv  11,  1839,  d. 
April  5,  1856. 

3.  *Franklin.  b.  Oct.  27,   i821. 

4.  George  W„  b.  Aug.  12,  1823.  m.  Permclia,  dau.  Noah  and 
Clarissa  (Saunders)  Shattuck  of  Mont  Vernon,  lived  in  Hudson  in  1858, 
farmer,  d.   there  Feb.  28,   1003.  had  2  sons. 

5.  Martha  Ann,  b.  March  10.  1825,  m.  June  14,  1848.  Horace  S. 
Routell  of  Hillsbnro'  Bridge,  d.  Amherst.  Aug.  IS.  1893.     Ch.:  5  sons. 

6.  Tames  C.  d.   Dec.   15.  1829.  aged  2  years,  4  months. 

7.  *Arthur  Allen,  b.   An?.  9.   1829. 

8.  Marv  A.,  b.   Aug.   10.   1831.  d.   Nov.   10,  1836. 

9.  *Danicl  Webster,  b.  March  15,  1835. 

Joseph  Trow,  son  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  or  Retscy  (Perkins) 
Trow,  b.  Mont  Vernon.  Jan.  17,  1794,  d.  Sept.  22,  1875,  lived  on  the  farm 
now  occupied  by  Stillman  Curtis  in' North  District.  He  m.  (1)  Sarah, 
dau.  of  Toseph  and  Hannah  (Woodbury)  Perkins,  March  22,  1825.  She 
was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  20.  1800.  d.  July  31,  1837.  He  m.  (2)  Nov. 
28,  1837,  Hannah,  dau.  Tosenh  and  Marv  (Carleton)  Haywood.  She  d. 
July  21,  1862.  age  62  years,  5  months.  He  m.  (3)  Mrs.  Abigail  (Carson) 
Andrews,  of  New  Boston.  She  d.  Feb.  14,  1885,  age  80.  Ch.  all  by  first 
wife  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *Toseph    Perkins,  b.    Sept.   26.  1826. 

2.  Irene  Augusta,  b.   Aug.   10,  1828.  d.   Sept.  5,  1847. 

3.  Almira  Lucrctia,  b.  May  11.  1830,  m.  Jan.  2,  1854,  *Charles  For- 
saith.  one  dau.     She  d.  April  13,  1897. 

4.  Abigail  Frances,  b.  Tan.  1.  1832,  d.  Aug.  9,  1837. 

5.  *Henrv  Hiram,  b.  Feb.  12,  1834. 

6.  *Elbridgc   Fisk,   b.    Oct.    24,    1835. 

Erankbn  Trow,  son  of  Jesse  and  Nancy  (Cochran)  Trow,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Oct.  27,  1821,  was  a  stone  mason,  hunter  and  farmer.  After 
marriage,  lived  in  the  house  near  Trow's  pond,  m.  Nov.  20,  1879,  Abby, 
dau.  Josiah  and  Sarah  (Farnum)  Swimington.  She  was  b.  Mont  Ver- 
non, Dec.  23,  1848.  He  d.  Nov.  22,  1882.  She  d.  June  1,  1886.  Ch.  b. 
Mont  Vernon. 


160  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.     Elmer,  b.  Nov.  5.  1880,  lives  Nashua,  m.  Florence   McDonald  of 

Nashua. 

Arthur  Allen  Trow,  son  of  Jesse  and  Nancy  (Cochran)  Trow,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  9,  1829,  m.  Jan.  23,  1872,  Lucretia  H.  Rideout,  dau. 
Gardiner  and  Lucretia  (Wilson)  Rideout.  She  was  b.  March  5,  1849,  d. 
March  23,  1901.  Lives  on  his  father's  farm  in  South  Dist.  Ch.  b.  Mont 
Vernon  : 

1.  Charles  Arthur,  b.  Aug.  29,  1872;  civil  engineer,  lives  in  Utah; 
m.  Aug.  10,  1902.  Jennie  E.  Gracier  of  San  Francisco. 

2.  *Louis  Allen,  b.  Nov.  19,  1873. 

3.  Jessie  Alice,  b.  Jan.  24,  ]875,  m.  Oct.  30,  1895,  *  William  H.  I  ox, 
one  ch. 

4.  Edward  Wilson,  b.  Aug.  17,  1877,  m.  Jan.  31,  1900,  Josie  L.,  dau. 
William  H.  and  Emma  J.  (Foster)  Marvel.  She  was  b.  M^ni  Vernon, 
June  11,  1877;  resides  with  his  father;  one  ch.,  Arthur  William,  b.  Julv 
9,   1902. 

Daniel  Webster  Trow,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  March  15,  1835,  m.  Jun^  12, 
1859,  Mary  Emily,  dau.  Samuel  L.  and  Mary  Ann  (Ober)  Shepard  of  Am- 
herst. Slie  was  b.  April  5,  1^40,  d.  Feb.  24,  1902,  at  Amherst.  He  lived 
for  manv  vears  on  a  farm  which  he  owned  in  Amherst,  where  he  d.  April 
24,  1899.     Ch.  b.  Amherst. 

1.  *Jesse  S.,  b.  April  23,  18f»2.  m.  April  23,  1891,  Helen  P.,  dau.  Benj. 
B.  and  Mindav  S.  ( Peaslce)  Whiting  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  May  10, 
1864. 

2.  Kate  E.,  b.   Dec.   30,  1864,  res.   Milford. 

3.  Emma,  b.  June  2,  1868,  m.  Arthur  G.  Burns  of  Lowell;  res.  Lowell, 
one  ch. 

Joseph  Perkins  Trow,  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Perkins)  Trow,  b. 
Mont  Vernon.  Sept.  26,  1826,  m.  Jan.  8,  1856,  Lenora  F.,  dau.  William  and 
Naomi  (Wilkins)  Underwood.  She  was  b.  New  Boston,  June  10,  1833. 
Thev  settled  in  Amherst  in  1857  and  occupy  the  farm  formerly  occupied 
by   Capt.   Elijah   Putnam   on   Christian   Hill.     Ch. 

1.  Clarence  L.,  b.  Nov.  13,  1860,  m.,  resides  Milfoil. 

2.  Geo.  A.,  b.  Dec.  18,  1862,  res.  Milford. 

Henry  Hiram  Trow  son  of  Toscph  and  Sarah  (Perkins)  Trow,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  12,  1834,  m.  Oct.  8.  1856,  Harriet  C,  dau.  Jesse  and 
Eliza  (Glidden)  Clement.  She  was  b.  Lowell,  Dec.  8.  1830,  d.  March  31, 
1897.  Lived  and  owned  a  farm  in  the  North  Dist.  for  many  years,  where 
he  d.  April  2,  1903.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon  : 

1.  *Charles  Henry,  b.  June  22,  1858. 

2.  Emma  F.,  b.  Ang.  20,  1800,  m.  Sept.  23,  1803,  Harlan  P.  Odell  of 
Amherst,  d.  Milford,  March  19,  1902. 

3.  Milton  J.,  b.  Sept.  9,  1868,  d.  Nov.  13,   1890. 

Elbridge  Fisk  Trow,  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Perkins)  Trow,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  24,  1835,  m.  Tan.  1,  1863,  Hannah  M.,  dau.  Dimon,  and 
she  was  b.  Oct.  17,  1840,  d.  New  Boston.  March  28,  1392.  He  lived  for 
many  years  on  the  Cleaves  farm  in  South  Dist.,  now  owned  by  Jesse  S. 
Trow,  moved  to  New  Boston  and  was  proprietor  of  the  tavern  there,  d. 
March  19,  1892.     Ch. 

1.     Frank  Dimond,  b.  April  22,  18G6. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  161 

2.     Albert  Fisk,  b.    .May  4,    1ST},  ,n.   Miss  Clark  of   "now   Boston;   res. 

New  Boston. 

Louis  Allen  Trow,  son  of  Arthur  \.  and  Lucretia  If.  (Rideout)  Trow, 
b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  1!),  1873,  m.  Oct.  15,  1895,  Millie  A.  Goodrich  of 
Lyndeboro.  She  was  b.  Lyndeboro,  Sept.  9,  1876.  They  live  on  the  farm 
of  heirs  of  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge  in  South  Dist.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Harold   Arthur,   b.   Jan.    10,    1897. 

2.  Sewall  Atwoqd.  b.  Feb.  2,  1898. 

3.  Amy  Irene,  b.  June  26,  1899. 

4.  Jesse  Everett,  b.  Dec.  27,  1901. 

Charles  Henry  Trow,  son  of  Henry  H.  and  Harriet  C.  (Clement) 
Trow,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  June  22,  1858,  m.  Dec.  19,  1882,  Carrie  F.,  dan. 
Geo.  W.  and  Nancy  E.  (Lamson)  Averill.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug. 
24,  1861.  He  lives  on  and  owns  the  Joseph  Trow,  Sr.,  farm  in  North 
Dist.     Ch. 

1.     Herbert  Averill,  b.  Amherst,  Nov.  17,  1885. 

Jesse  S.  Trow,  son  of  Daniel  W.  and  Mary  E.  (Shepard)  Trow,  b. 
April  23,  1862,  in  Amherst;  bought  farm  of  E.  F.  Trow  in  1890,  on  Cleaves 
farm,  lives  in  the  South  Dist. ;  farmer,  m.  April  23,  1891,  Helen  P.,  dau. 
Benj.  B.  and  Mindav  S.  Peaslee  Whiting  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  May 
10,   1864.     Ch.   b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Norman  Daniel,  b.  May  10,  1896. 

2.  Lila  Whiting,  b.  April  7,  1899. 

TUPPER. 

Tyler  Tuppcr,  b.  Dec.  13,  1812,  son  Royal  Tuppcr,  Esq.,  of  Lyndeboro, 
came  here  from  Claremont,  lived  in  the  South  Dist.,  where  he  d.  Aug.  17, 
1853.  He  m.  (  T)  April.  1834,  Anna  H.,  dau.  Hon.  Jedidiah  K.  and  Anna 
(Henchman)  Smith  of  Amherst;  three  ch.  ;  m.  (2)  Almira,  dau.  Abiel 
and  Amy  (Heywood)  Wilkins  of  Mont  Vernon,  b.  Jan.  17,  1825.  She  d. 
Dec.  13,  1852,  age  27;  two  ch. 

1.  Abby  S.,  d.  April  6,  1869,  age  32  years,  6  months. 

2.  Henry  B.,  d.  April  25,  1856,  age  6  years,  7  months. 

TUTEX. 

Robert  P.  Tuten  was  b.  in  Boston,  Mass.,  Feb.  6,  1806,  d.  Cambridge. 
Mass.,  Sept.  7,  1851.  age  4(5;  m.  Nancy  S.,  dau.  Isaac  and  Pamelia 
(Stevens)  Smith.  She  was  b.  Deering,  April  14,  1820,  d.  Bellefonte,  Pa., 
March  14.  1883.  After  her  husband's  death  she  purchased  the  Dr.  Adams 
place  and  came  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1852,  lived  here  until  her  death,  March 
14,  1883.  age  62;  ch.  all  b.  in  Cambridge,  brought  up  in  Mont  Vernon.     Ch. 

1.  Edward  T.,  b.  Sept.  18,  1841,  m.  Feb.  10,  1870,  Maria  P.  (Fifield) 
Gray  wid.  Fdw.  L.  Gray,  E.  Cambridge,  Mass. ;  one  ch.,  Earle  C,  b.  Shel- 
burn  Falls,  Mass..  Dec"  4,  1870.  Mr.  Tuten  has  lived  in  Bellefonte,  Pa., 
many  years,  where  he  is  now  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  "Bellefonte  Re- 
publican." 

2.  Maria  N.,  b.  Sept.  20,  1843,  m.  May  31,  1865,  *Alonzo  S.  Bruce; 
three  ch.,  res.  Mont  Vernon. 

3      Susan  R.,  b.   July  14,  1845,  res.  Ayer,  Mass. 

4.     Robert  P.,  b.   April   11.   1847,   m.   Miss   Amy   Mason   of  Galesbtirg, 


L62  HISTORY  OF  MOXT  VERNON. 

111.,  left  Mont  Vernon  in  1861,  has  resided  at  Iron  Mt,   .Mich.,  now  resides 
Burlington,  Mo.,  one  ch. ;  is  a  printer. 

5.  Sarah,  b.  Oct.  23,  1848,  treasurer  Ayer  Savings  Bank,  Aver,  Mass. 

6.  Esther  P.,  b.  Oct.  11,  1850.  matron  of  Children's  Home,  Dover 
N.  H. 

TUTTLE. 

Charles  Bell  Tuttle.  son  of  Dr.  Peter  and  Gratia  (Kittredge)  Tuttle, 
b.  Hancock.  May  9.  1818,  m.  (1)  June  8,  1843,  Lydia  Ann,  dau.  Joshua  and 
Elizabeth  (Lincoln)  Cleaves.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  8,  1823,  d. 
July  26,  1806.  He  m.  '2)  Cornelia  E.,  dau.  Hon.  Leonard  and  Mary  G. 
(Dickey)  Chase  of  Milford,  Sept.  4,  1807.  She  was  b.  Milford,  May  19, 
1839.  He  lived  for  a  few  years  in  Mont  Vernon  with  his  father-in-law, 
Joshua  Cleaves.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  Charles  W„  b.   Oct.   27,   1847,   d.  Aug.   19,   1866. 

2.  Catherine  A.,  b.  Tune  19,  1849,  m.  June  18,  1847,  Frank  W.  Chase 
of  Milford. 

3.  Charlotte  E.,  b.  July  25,  1851,  d.  June  14,  1852. 

4.  Caroline  L.,  b.  Aug.  3,  1854,  d.  Sept.  6,  1854. 

5.  Edward  S.,  b.  July  8,  1849,  d.  Sept.  12,  1860. 

6.  Anna  L.,  b.  March  19.  1802,  d.  Oct.  6,  1862. 

7.  Isabella  L.,  b.  Feb.  12,  1865,  d.  July  22.  1800. 
Ch.  by  second  wife  b.  Milford: 

8.  Morton  C...  b.  June  2,   1875,  res.   Boston. 

9.  Leonard  W.,  b.  Aug.  30,  1877,  res.  Boston. 
10.     Donald  D.,  b.   May  29,   1879,  res.   Milford. 

twiss. 

Dimon  Twiss,  son  of  Dimon  C.  and  Sarah  (Ireson)  Tw;ss,  b.  Antrim, 
Aug.  1,  1803,  m.  (1)  Harriet,  dau.  George  Parmenter  of  Antrim,  Oct.  30, 
L834.  She  d.  1S44.  He  m.  (2)  June  10,  1845.  Mehitable  Hills.  She  d. 
June  4,  1874.  He  was  a  blacksmith  and  carried  on  business  in  Antrim 
several  years,  thence  he  rem.  in  1808  to  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  d.  Nov. 
10,  1888.  age  85  vears.     Ch.  1).  Antrim. 

1.  Harriet  M.,  b.  Jan.  29.  1836,  m.  Dr.  W.  H.  Hinds  of  Milford,  Aug. 
23,   1801.     She  d.   Milford,  Feb.  7,   1870,  leaving  two  sons. 

2.  Marv  E.,  b.  June  20,  1838,  m.  May  9,  1857,  *Daniel  Richardson, 
res.  Mont  Vernon  :  two  ch. 

3.  Hannah  M.,  b.  Oct.  18,  1840.  m.  Jan.  1.  1803.  *Elbridge  F.  Trow, 
<1.  New  Boston,   March  28,  1892;   left  two  sons. 

Abraham  G.  Twiss  (half-brother  to  Dimon).  son  Dimon  C.  and  Mary 
(Jones)  Twiss.  b.  Antrim,  May  19,  1818;  m.  Sabra  G,  dau.  Alexander 
M.  and  Hannah  (  Mcllwaine)  Carr.  She  was  b.  1818.  He  lived  on  the 
"David  Stiles"  place  in  East  Dist.  with  his  father-in-law  several  years, 
moved  to  Manchester,  where  he  d.  April  8,  1870;  one  ch.,  dau..  m.  Henry 
M.   Parker  of  Amherst;   res.   Amherst. 

THOMPSON. 

Alpha  Thompson  had  a  blacksmith's  shop  on  a  brook  in  the  North 
Dist.,  when  a  young  man,  moved  to  Woburn,  Mass.,  and  after  it  was  an 
incorporated  city  became  its  first  mayor.     He  lived  to  be  an  old  man. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  163 

UPTON. 

Ezekiel  Upton,  Sr.,  d.  1835,  age  90,  lived  in  house  afterwards  of  John 
O'Brien,  burned  in  1S71,  on  Purgatory  Road,  m.  Hannah,  dan.  John  and 
Hannah  (Wilkins)  Washer.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

Mary,  m.  *Allen  Dodge  of  Mont  Vernon. 

*Ezekiel,  Jr. 

Other  eli." 

Hannah,  m.  *Ebenezer  Mills,  Sr.,  and  had  nine  eh.  She  d.  Milford, 
Sept.  20,  1856,  aged  83  years. 

Ezekiel  Upton,  Jr.,  son  of  Ezekiel,  Sr.,  and  Hannah  (Washer)  Upton, 
d.  Feb.  2,  1863,  age  87;  lived  on  Beech  Hill;  m.  Abigail,  dan.  Josiah  and 
Ellinor  (Edwards)  Dodge.  She  was  b.  Sept.  19,  1774,  d.  June  26,  1837. 
He  was  selectman  15  years  and  representative  live  years.  He  m.  (2) 
1843,  Mehitable,  dan.  Jonathan  and  Polly  (Baker)  Conant,  and  wid.  of 
Wm.   Marvel.     She  d.  1873,  age  80.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Mary,  m.  Geo.  W.  Green,  Oct.  6.  1838.  She  d.  April  29,  1841, 
age  36. 

2.  *Josiah. 

3.  *David. 

4.  Alvan,  d.  mini.   May  18,  1883,  aged  75  yrs.,  5  mos. 

5.  Abigail,  m.  Hiram  Nichols  of  Lowell,  Nov.  20,  1832. 

Ezekiel  E.,  d.  Sept.  24,  1818,  age  three  yrs.,  six  mos.  Hannah,  d. 
Jan.  29,   1827,   age  17.     Daniel,  d.   Dec.  6,   1831,  age  27. 

Josiah  Upton,  son  of  Ezekiel  and  Abigail  (Dodge)  Upton,  d.  Dec.  27, 
1845,  age  27 ;  lived  on  his  father-in-law's  farm,  Wm.  Odell,  Jr.,  in  West 
Dist.,  m.  Jan.  2,  1842,  Orinda  F.,  dau.  Wm.,  Jr.,  and  Susannah  (Lovejoy) 
Odell.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Feb.  19,  1819.  After  his  death  she  m. 
Jan.   10,   1849,  Capt.  Wm.  Lamson.     She  d.   Nov.  24,  1874.     Ch. 

1.  Alvan,  b.  Feb.  17,  1845,  d.  Sept.,  1845. 

2.  William  Henrv,  b.  New  Boston,  Sept.  22,  1842,  enlisted  in  16th 
N.  H.  Regt.,  d.  in  Carrolton,  La.,  Feb.  18,  1863. 

David  Upton,  son  of  Ezekiel  and  Abigail  (Dodge)  Upton,  m.  Rebecca 
Averv  of  Lvndeboro.  She  was  b.  Nov.  14,  1809,  d.  June  29,  1896,  age  89. 
Ch. 

David  E.,  b.  Oct.  3,  1830,  res.  New  Boston,  m.  Emily  J.,  dau.  John  J. 
and  Sarah  (Hopkins)  Carson  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b.  Milford,  Jan. 
16,  1843,  resides  on  farm  in  the  southwest  part  of  New  Boston.     Ch. 

1.  Chas.  H.,  b.  Aug.  11.  1865. 

2.  Alvan  E.,  b.  Oct.  27,  1868,  d.  Aug.  1,  1898. 

3.  John  F.,  b.  Jan.  30,  1877. 

4.  Emily  Josephine,  b.   Oct.   27.   1883. 

Enos  Upton. 

James  Upton,  son  of  Enos  Upton,  b.  St.  Stephens,  N.  B.,  Oct.  11, 
1792,  lived  on  the  farm  on  Purgatory  Road,  afterwards  occupied  by  his 
son.  Tames  Uoton,  m.  March  14,  1822,  Tane  Bixbie  of  Litchfield.  She  was 
b.  Feb.  7,  1799,  d.  Feb.   19,  1868.     He  d.  Julv  12,  1831.     Ch. 

1.  Marv  Elizabeth,  b.  St.  Stephens,  N.  B.,  June  24.  1823,  d.  num., 
June  9,  1881. 

2.  Jane.  b.  May  7,  1825,  m.  Amos  Melvin  ;  three  ch. ;  lives  Concord, 
Mass. 


164  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

3.  Sarah  Ann,  b.  July  27,  1826,  m.  (1)  Albert  Decatur,  m.  (2) 
*Hiram  Batchelder.     She  d.  Goffstown,  June  22,  1897. 

4.  James,  b.  Feb.  16,  1829,  representative  1872,  1873,  selectman  eight 
years,  now  res.  Amherst. 

5.  William,  b.  Aug.  9.  1830,  d.  July  10,  1877,  m.  Elizabeth,  dau.  John 
and  Rebecca  (Hale)  Smith.  She  d.  Aug.  8,  1882,  age  49.  Ch.  b.  Mont 
Vernon. 

Willis,  d.  July  23,  1879,  aged  about  18. 
John,  b.  1868,  res.  Providence,  R.  I. 

UNDERWOOD. 

Joseph  Underwood  came  to  this  town,  was  a  stone  mason,  lived  where 
Mrs.  Mary  J.  Blood  now  does  in  the  village  where  he  d.  Feb.  13,  1871, 
age  68.  He  m.  June  30,  1844,  Sabrina,  dau.  of  Joseph  and  Betsey  (Per- 
kins) Trow,  b.  Mont  Vernon.  Oct.  15,  1800,  d.  Lancaster,  Mass.,  May  22, 
1890;  no  ch. 

Charles  Underwood,  son  of  Thomas  and  Mehitable  (Gage)  Under- 
wood, b.  Amherst,  lived  in  the  South  Dist.,  where  J.  H.  Tarbell  since 
lived ;  rem.  to  Lowell,  where  he  d. ;  m.  Aurelia,  dau.  Ezra  and  Rebecca 
(Langdell)  Langdell,  Oct.  8.  1829.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon.  Aug.  13, 
1810.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Charles  Henry,  b.  Feb.  9.  1833,  m.  Nov.  9,  1859,  Elvira  L.  Hewey, 
b.  Jan.  4,  1837 ;  lived  in  Lowell ;  four  ch. 

WALLACE. 

Andrew  Wallace,  second  son  Dea.  John  and  Polly  (  Bradford )  Wal- 
lace of  Milford,  b.  Milford,  March  28.  178:;.  d.  Amherst,  Sept.  23.  1856; 
m.  Hepsibah  Cummings,  Dec,  1820.  She  was  1).  1794,  d.  Sept.  17,  1874. 
After  fitting  for  the  practice  of  law  he  settled  in  Mont  Vernon  in  1814, 
which  town  he  represented  1816 ;  rem.  to  Hancock  1817,  where  he  remained 
until  April,  1824,  when  he  received  the  appointment  of  Clerk  of  the  Courts 
in  Hillsborough  County  and  rem.  to  Amherst,  where  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  He  resumed  the  practice  of  law  Nov.  1.  1839.  He 
was  moderator  and  representative  of  Mont  Vernon  in  1816,  school  com- 
mittee 1815  and  1816.  Was  school  commissioner  in  Hancock  in  1818  and 
1822,  representative  of  there  in  1822,  1823  and  1824.  He  was  greatly  re- 
spected as  a  man  and  citizen.     Ch. 

1.  Horace  W.,  b.  Hancock.  March  25,  1822,  d.  Oct.  9.  1826. 

2.  Charles  A.,  1).   Amherst.   Aug.   5,  1825,  d.   March  8,  1832. 

3.  Mary  C,  b.  Amherst,   May  30,   1828,  d.   Aug.  14,  1833. 

4.  Henry  H..  b.  Amherst,   Tan.   10.  1831,  d.  Aug.  18,  1833. 

5.  Mary  C,  b.  Amherst.  July  4,  1834,  d.  Jan.  4,  1846. 

6.  Charles  Henry,  b.  Amherst,  Sept.  14,  1835.  grad.  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege,  1857;   studied   law;   d.   June  21,    1861. 

Milton  W.  Wallace,  son  of  George  O.  and  Olive  (Wilkins)  Wallace, 
b.  Bedford,  N.  H..  1829.  lived  Reed's  Ferry  from  1851  to  1855:  went  to 
California  1855;  returned  to  Reed's  Ferry  ISC,:!;  moved  to  Nashua  1868, 
and  to  Mont  Vernon  March,  1882,  on  a  farm.on  Beech  Hill:  m.  May, 
1851,  Margaret  P.,  dau.  Robert  and  Ruth  A.  (Clark)  Mears.  She  was  b. 
Reed's   Ferry,   N.   H..   1829.     He   d.    March   5,   1902.     Ch. 

1.  Effie  V.,  b.  Reed's  Ferry,  N.  H.,  Aug.  24,  1902,  m.  George  P. 
Nutter  of  Nashua,  Nov.,  1878. 


HISTORY  OF  MOXT  VERNON.  165 

2.  Carrie  I...  b.  Reed's  Ferry,  July  23,  1854,  m.  July  1.  L876,  David  W. 
Duncklee  of  Nashua,   d.   Nashua.    Feb.   25,    L882. 

3.  Sherman  E.,  b.  Reed's  Ferry.  June  2,  1864,  m.  Feb.  15,  1890,  Julia 
A.  Cody.  res.  Providence,  R.   I. 

4.  *Miles  E.,  1).    Manchester,   Feb.  24.  1867. 

5.  Mytelle  M.,  b.  Nashua,  May  27,  1869;  res.  Mont   Vernon. 

C.  Minnie  O..  b.  Nashua,  July  19.  1871,  m.  Ira  R.  Brown  of  Lynde- 
boro.   Nov.  25,  1896;   res.  Lyndehoro. 

Miles  E.  Wallace,  son  of  Milton  W.  and  Margaret  P.  (Mears)  Wal- 
lace. 1).  Manchester,  N.  II.,  Feb.  24,  1867.  He  is  a  carpenter;  came  to 
Mont  Vernon  from  Milford  in  1897;  m.  April  17,  1886,  Ida  B.,  dau. 
Leonard  G.  and  Nancy  1).  (Larkin)  Brown.  She  was  b.  Lvndeboro,  July 
25,   1865.     Ch. 

Maud  Ethel,  b.  Lvndeboro.    April  21,   1890. 

WESTON. 

Ebenezer  Weston,  h.  Reading,  Jan.  28,  1702.  m.  Mehitable,  dau.  Isaac 
Sutherick.  Nov.  29,  172(1.  She  was  b.  Oct.,  170(3.  They  settled  in  Sou- 
hegan  West,  now  Amherst,  in  1752.     Ch. 

1.  Mehitable,  b.  Nov.  27,  1727,  m.  Sept.  30,  1751,  Timothy  Nichols  of 
Amherst ;  three  ch. 

2.  Elizabeth,  I).  Oct.  6,  1720,  m. Larrabec. 

3.  Ebenezer,  b.  Feb.  10,  1731,  m.  (1)  Eliza  Hildreth,  by  whom  he  had 
three  ch.  ;  m.  (2)  Sarali  Merrick;  had  three  ch.  ;  d.  June  12,  1846;  lived  in 
Amherst;   was  on   Committee  of   Safety  in   Revolutionary  War. 

4.  Ann,  b.   March  31,   1734,  d.  Sept.  3,   1751,  mini. 

5.  *Daniel.  b.  Oct.   11,  1735. 

6.  Hepsibah,  b.  June   11.  1738,  d.  imm.  advanced  age. 

7.  Sarah,  b.   Sept.   7.    1740,  d.   Sept.  22,   1751. 

8.  Judith,  b.  June  3,   1742.   d.   Aug.  31,   1751. 

0.  *Thomas,   b.  June  26,   1744. 

10.  *  Isaac,  b.  May  11.  1746. 

11.  Tabitha,  b.  March  31,  1748,  m.  (1)  Daniel  Wilkins,  Jr..  m.  (2) 
Jesse  Baldwin,  m.  (3)  Lt.  Joseph  Farnum,  d.  at  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.,  1820. 
Her  dau.,  Abigail  (Wilkins)  Dix,  was  the  mother  of  of  Gen.  John  A.  Dix, 
War  Governor  of  New  York. 

12.  Sutherick.  b.  Nov.  10,  1751,  m.  Mary  Lancy  ;  Revolutionary  soldier; 
seven  ch.,  d.  Antrim,  May  11,   1831. 

Daniel  Weston,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Mehitable  (Sutherick)  Weston, 
b.  Reading,  Mass.,  Oct.  11,  1735;  came  to  Amherst  with  his  parents  about 
1752;  m.  April  20,  1762,  Mary,  dau.  David  and  Sarah  (Phelps)  Hartshorn, 
who  came  from  Reading  as  early  as  1747.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  French 
and  Indian  War;  d.  1768.  His  wid.  m.  Thomas  Carleton,  by  whom  she 
had  four  ch.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Judith,  b.  March  30,  1763,  m.  Dea.  John  Carleton,  d.  Mont  Vernon, 
Nov.  25,  1824;   12  ch. 

2.  Daniel,  b.  July  8,  1764,  grad.  Harvard  College  1705,  was  a  clergy- 
man nearly  40  years  at  dray.  Me.,  where  he  d.   May  28.  1837,  aged   72. 

3.  Mary,  b.   Feb.   20,   1766,   m.   Daniel   Averill   of   Mont  Vernon. 

4.  David,  b.  Oct.  13,  1767.  d.  in  infancy. 

Thomas  Weston,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Mehitable   (Sutherick)   Weston, 


166  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXON. 

b.  Reading,  June  26,  1744,  m.  1760.  Ruth  Tuttle,  d.  Dec.  27,  1822;  settled 
on  the  farm  in  Mont  Vernon  occupied  more  than  100  years  by  his  de- 
scendants now  owned  by  Cleon  M.  Hall.  Was  on  Com.  of  Safety  in  Rev- 
olutionary War.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Ruth,  h.   Xov.   17,   1769,  (1.  unm. 

2.  *Thomas,  Jr.,  b.  Jan.  20,   177?). 

3.  Sarah,  b.  1776,  d. ".March  17,  1777. 

4.  Sarah,  b.  July  21,   1779,  m.  John  Worthlcy. 

Isaac  Weston,  son  of  Ehenezer  and  Mehitable  (  Sutherick )  Weston, 
b.  Reading,  May  II,  1746,  m.  Hannah  Cole.  She  d.  June  1,  1831,  age  80; 
lived  in  the  East  Dist.  ;  was  on  Com.  of  Safety  in  Revolutionary  War.  Ch. 
Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *John,  b.  July  17,  1775. 

2.  Hannah,  b.  1777.  m.  Daniel  L.  Herrick,  Sept.  27,  1802. 

3.  Betsey,  b.  1779,  m.  Benjamin  Durant  of  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  15,  1804. 

4.  Susannah,   b.    1781. 

5.  Isaac,  Jr.,  1).  Xov.  27,  1781,  m.  Aug.  20,  1812,  Mehitable  Batchelder; 
lived  in  Amherst;  three  ch. ;  d.  Jan.  23,  1869. 

6.  Luther,  b.  1785,  d.  infancy. 

7.  Luther  b.   1787,  d.  about  1808. 

Thomas  Weston,  Jr.,  son  of  Thomas  and  Ruth  (Tuttle)  Weston,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  20,  177::;  settled  on  the  homestead  in  North  Dist, 
Mont  Vernon;  d.  Xov.  22,  1840,  m.  1775,  Lucv  Wilkins,  dan.  Abijah  and 
Lucy  (Ave'rill)  Wilkins.  She  was  b.  March  27.  1777,  d.  Feb.  18,  1851.  Ch. 
b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Ira,  b.  Feb.  18,  1796,  m.  Miriam  Chellis  in  1825;  physician  in  Wind- 
ham and  Bradford,  X.   H.  d.  Oct.  1:.'.  1868. 

2.  Lucv,  b.  Sept.  7.  1799,  d.  Oct.  26,  1851. 

3.  John,  b.   Dec.   13,   1801,   d.   unm.    May  15,   1857. 

4      Thomas,  b.  Oct.  27,  1803,  killed  by  lightning,   May  30,   1810. 

5.  Jason,  b.  May  17,  1805,  m.  Eliza  Wilkins  in  1832;  lived  in  Man- 
chester. 

6.  Langdell,  b.   March  24,  1808.  d.   March   16,   1814. 

7.  Sarah,  b.  Sept.  12,  1810,  m.  Elbridge  G.  Fairfield  in  1836. 

8.  Abigail  Tarbell,  b.  Oct.   13,  1813,  d.   March  27,  1814. 

9.  Abigail  Tuttle,  b.  March  4,  1815,  m.  *Nathan  F.  Richardson  of 
Mont  Vernon  in  1840,  d.  Xov.  16,   1853. 

Lt.  John  Weston,  son  of  Tsaac  and  Hannah  (Cole)  Weston,  b.  July 
17,  1775,  was  killed  by  the  falling  of  a  mill-stone  in  his  mill,  which  was  on 
the  site  of  J.  A.  Brown's  mill  in  the  East  Dist.,  in  1810;  m.  Sept.  27,  1802, 
Abigail  Haseltine,  sister  John  Haseltine  of  Amherst.  She  m.  (2)  Jan. 
31,  1826,  Moses  Newman  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  d.  May  12,  1860,  age  77 
yrs.,  8  mos.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

1.  *James,  b.  Dec.  5,  1803. 

2.  Hannah,  b.  Oct.  25.   1805,  d.  unm.   March   14,   1859. 

3.  Thirza,  b.   Sept.  5,  1807,  d.  unm.   March  23,  1840. 

4.  Abigail,  b.  June  25,  1809,  d.  Aug.  31,  1873;  m. Arlin ;  had 

ch.,  lived  in  Lowell. 

5.  Mary,  b.  June  24,  1811,  d.  July  22,  1877,  at  Chelsea;  m.  *Reuben 
K.  Batchelder. 

James  Weston,  son  of  John  and  Abigail  (Haseltine)  Weston,  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Dec.  5,  1803;   lived  in  North  Dist.  a  few  years;   moved  tp  Cali- 


IMSTi  IRY  OF  M(  ).\T  VERX(  >N.  16? 

fornia.  where  lie  d.  Sept.  ll.  is."):.1;  m.  i  i  i  Diantha  Chapin;  111.  (2)  Mary 
Haraden.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  John,  d.  infancy. 

2.  Diantha    .Maria,  b.   Sept.   :.'.    1830,  d.    April    I.    1889. 

:;.  James  Franklin,  l>.  Aug.  16,  1832,  d.  June  23,  1892;  lived  in  Boi- 
ton  and  Lowell,   was  a  belt  manufacturer. 

4.  Mary  Jane,  b.  Jan.  6,  is::.".;  was  Female  Supt.  of  State  Hospital 
for  Insane  at  Jacksonville,  111.,  and  for  many  years  Matron  of  the  <Md 
Ladies'  Home.  Lowell,  where  she  d.  num.,   .March  26,    1900. 

Ch.  by  second  wife  : 

Abigail  R.,  b.  Aug.  :.'.   1848;  res.  Lowell,  nnm. 

WETHERBEE. 

Asa  Wetherbee,  son  of  Joseph   Wetherbee,  b.  Jul}    is.    1802,   Wilton; 

farmer;  came  here  from  Lyndeboro  and  lived  about  17  years  here:  moved 
to  Milford  about  1849,  d.  Milford,  April  13,  1885;  m.  May  l.  1824,  Lavina, 
dau.  Ebenezer  and  Hannah  (Upton)  Mills.  She  was  b.  Monl  Vernon, 
Dec.  3,  1805,  d.  Milford,  April  6,  1889.     Ch. 

1.  John  E,  h.  Milford,  March  13,  1825;  hotel-keeper;  res.  Lecd.  Me.. 
m.  Lucinda  J.  Caldwell  of  Hudson. 

:.'.  William  W.,  b.  Wilton.  March  11,  1827,  m.  Elizabeth  Parker, 
dau.    Robt.    Parker   of   Milford;    res.    Milford;    four   ch. 

3.  David  G.,  b.  Lyndeboro,  Jan.  21,  1829,  d.  Milford.  Sept.  :.':.'.  1859; 
shoemaker;  m.   Maiw   J.  Herald  of  Milford. 

4.  James  Addison,  b.  Mont  Vernon.  April  7,  ISM;.',  m.  Nov.  27,  1856, 
Harriet  F.,  dau.  Joseph  and  Indiana  (Burns)  Duncklee.  b.  Milford.  Aug. 
1,  1838;  one  son.  Dr.  Fred  M.  Wetherbee  of  Milford;  J.  A.  d.  Milford, 
Sept.  27,  1895;  was  a  merchant. 

5.  Henry  M.,  h.  Mont  Vernon.  May  31,  1836,  d.  July  14,  1837. 

(i.  Henry  P..  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  10,  1838;  laborer,  res.  Milford, 
unm. 

7.  Emma  A.,  b.  Mont  Vernon.  Dec.  6,  1843,  m.  June  is,  ISC,:;,  Mar- 
cellies  M.  Marvell  of  Milford.  d.  Feb.  6.  1880. 

8.  Mary  C,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  15,  1845.  m.  Jan.  28,  1866,  John 
R.  Perkins  of  Weare  ;  res.  Milford. 

Jesse  Wetherbee.  son  of  Joseph  Wetherbee,  m.  Permelia  Osborn 
Gleeson.  She  d.  March  Ifi,  1884,  age  82,  at  Merrimack;  lived  in  the  house 
afterwards  known  as  Conant  Hall,  moved  to  Nashua,  then  to  Merrimack; 
was  partner  of  Asa  Stevens  at  Nashua  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes;  one 
son. 

Joseph  Wetherbee,  son  of  Joseph  Wetherbee  and  brother  of  Asa  and 
Jesse  Wetherbee,  m.  Clarissa  Heywood,  dau.  Win.  Heywood;  lived  in 
Mont  Vernon  several  vears  ;  came  here  from  Lyndeboro.     Ch.  were: 

1.  Joseph,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  m.  (1)  Nancy  Tuttle  of  Wilton,  m.  (2) 
Mrs.  Nancy  (Gould)  Flint  Barnes  of  Wilton,  dau.  Benjamin  and  Nancy 
Gould.     He.  d.  June,  1870,  in  Wilton;  had  five  ch. 

2.  Abbie.  d.  unm.  in  Boston. 

WHITE. 

Kneeland  C.  White,  son  of  Aaron  and  Louisa  (Cram)  White,  b.  Deer- 
ing,  N.  H.,  Dec.  30,  1835;  lived  New  Boston,  Brandon,  Vt..  25  year-:  came 


168  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXOX. 

to  Mont  Vernon  in  1888,  worked  before  coming  to  Mont  Vernon  seal- 
ing scales  in  scale  shop;  m.  June  28,  1859,  Jennie  D.  Ober  of  Xew  Bos- 
ton, clan.  Gary  and  Salome  (Mills)  Ober.  She  was  b.  Johnson,  Vt.,  Aug. 
G,  1840;  no  ch. 

William  White  came  here  from  Weare,  lived  about  1:2  years  in  East 
Dist,  moved  to  Wilton  about  1858.  He  m.  Mary,  dan.  Isaac  and  Eunice 
(Flagg)   Colby  of  Amherst,  Oct.  6,  18:55.     She  was  b.  June  27,  1810.     Ch. 

1."   Stillman  C,  1).  July  8,  1839;  lives  Wilton. 

2.     Henry,  lives  Wilton. 

Eliza  J.,~b.  Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  8.  1849,  m.  Jan.  26,  1870,  Horatio  C. 
Shaw,  son  Christopher  C.  and  Rebecca  P.  (Hutchinson)  Shaw  of  Milford ; 
res.  Milford  ;  one  ch. 

WILKTXS. 

Bray  Wilkins  a  large  laud  owner  in  Middleton,  Mass.,  was  the  an- 
cestor of  all  of  that  name  who  have  lived  in  Amherst  or  in  any  of  the 
towns  severed  from  that  town. 

Joshua  Wilkins,  fourth  generation  from  Bray  Wilkins,  b.  Middleton, 
Mass.,  Aug.  2<),  1718.     lie  and  his  wife,  Ruth,  were  residents  of  Amherst 

(now  the  East  Dist..  Mont  Vernon),  March,  1770.     Ch. 

1.  Aspath,  b.   March   17,   1738. 

2.  Eli,  1).  Sept.  21,  1741,  d.  young. 

3.  Sylvester,  1).  Jan.   11,  1744,  d.  young. 

4.  Joshua,  b.  Oct.   12,   1740. 

5.  Elizabeth.   1).    Nov.    16,    174S.   d.   young. 

6.  *Abijah,  b.  Oct.  7,  1751. 

7.  *-Eli,  b.  April  fi,  1753. 

8.  Sylvester,  1).  Nov.  24,  1757,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  d.  Easton,  Pa. 

9.  Ruth,  b.   March  21.  1761. 
10.  Elizabeth,  b.  June  15,  17C4. 

Abijah  Wilkins,  son  of  Joshua  and  Ruth  Wilkins,  b.  Middleton,  Mass., 
Oct.  7,  1751  ;  lived  in  the  North  Dist.  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  S.  E. 
Curtis;  d.  Mont  Vernon.  July,  1833,  age  81;  m.  (1)  Lucy  Averill,  May  7, 
1772.  She  was  b.  Dec.  IS,  1752.  He  m.  (2)  Sarah  Farmer,  Sept.  30,  1788. 
She  d.  Feb.  8,  1818,  aee  59.     Ch.  by  first  wife: 

1.  *Abijah,  b.  Sept.  18,  1771. 
Probably  b.   Mont  Vernon  : 

2.  Lucv,  b.  March  27,   1777. 

3.  Jason,  b.  Dec.  7,  1780. 

4.  Asaph. 

Ch.  by  second  wife  probably  b.  Mont  Vernon: 

5.  *Charles  W.,  b.  Oct.  30,"  1791. 

6.  George,  b.  Dec.  12,  1793,  d.  num.  Holliston,  Mass.,  May  4,  1826; 
studied  medicine,  was  licensed  by  the  N.  H.  Medical  Society  in  1820,  prac- 
tised two  years  at  Littleton,  Mass.,  and  from  thence  went  to  Holliston. 
By  his  premature  removal  the  community  lost  a  faithful  physician  and  a 
citizen  of  uprightness  and  integrity. 

7.  Esther,  b.  Nov.  28,  1797,  d.  May  19,  1820,  a  very  pious  and  amiable 
vonng  lady. 

8.  Ruth  K.,  b.  Dec.  17,  1801,  d.  num.  Nashua,  Aug.  18,  1871. 

Eli  Wilkins,  son  of  Joshua  and  Ruth  Wilkins,  b.  April  6,  1753,  m. 
Leach;  settled  in  Amherst   (now  East  Dist..  Mont  Vernon),  school 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  169 

teacher,  selectman  from  irsi  to  1788  inclusive;  was  for  many  years  Justice 
of  the  Peace;   was  made  Justice  in    1787.     Ch.   1).    Mont   Vernon: 


1. 

Eli. 

2. 
3. 

*Ira. 
*Johu  L. 

4. 

Joshua. 

5. 

Trvphosa,  m.  Gerry  Knights  of 

Francestown 

6. 

*Alvah. 

7. 

Nathaniel. 

Abijah  Wilkins,  son  of  Abijah  and  Lucy  (Averill)  Wilkins,  b.  Sept. 
18.  1771,  d.  1856;  settled  in  Boston  before  1800  and  there  he  was  for 
many  years  an  industrious  carpenter  and  masterbuilder,  a  Christian  very 
much  respected.     He  left  one  son  and  two  dan. 

Charles  Warren  Wilkins.  sun  of  Abijah  and  Sarah  (Farmer)  Wil- 
kins, b.  Mont  Vernon,  Oct.  30,  1791  ;  settled  in  Lowell,  d.  there  June  16, 
1871;  m.  March  2,  1815,  Emma  D.  Trow,  dau.  Joseph  and  Sarah  (  Perkins) 
Trow.  She  was  b.  Aug.  18,  1791,  d.  Lowell,  Jan.  26,  1868.  Ch.  b.  Lowell, 
probably. 

1.  'Chas.  P..  1).  1815,  m.  (1)  Abigail  Brown;  m.  (2)  Grace  Puffer; 
removed  from  Lowell  to  Auburn,  X.  Y.,  d.  there  April,  18S9.  leaving  seven 
ch. 

2.  Sarah  A.,  b.   1818,  m.   Elijah   Perrv,  d.   1845. 

3.  Esther,  b.   1822,  d.  mini.  Lowell,  June  6,  1841. 

4.  Martha,  b.  July  15,  1825.  m.  June  16,  1849,  Theophilus  D.  Berry 
of  Lowell,  who  d.  Nov.  29,  1885. 

5.  Elizabeth,  b.  1827,  d.  mini.  Sept.   1,   1848. 

6.  Geo.   Henry,  b.   1829,  d.   1842. 

7.  Joseph  A.,  m.  Mrs.  Anna  Hunt;  has  seven  ch,  lives  Whitefield, 
N.  H. 

Tra  Wilkins,  son  Eli  Wilkins,  m.  Anna  P..  dau.  Nathan  and  Sarah 
(Kendrick)  Kendall  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  July  17,  1787,  m.  July  11, 
1815.  He  d.  Burlington,  Ohio,  July  16,  1849.  He  lived  for  a  time  where 
C.  O.  Tngalls  now  does;  four  dau. 

John  L.  Wilkins.  son  Eli  Wilkins.  He  lived  in  Fast  Dist.,  (on  place 
now  burnt,  formerly  occupied  by  Bradley  Jones).  He  moved  to  New 
Boston  and  d.   at  the  poorhouse  there;  m.   Susan  Weston. 

Ira  Wilkins  (his  son)  lived  in  Fast  Dist..  m.  Feb.  18,  1835.  Nancy, 
dau.  Tsaac  and  Eunice  (Flagg)  Colby  of  Amherst.  She  was  b.  Oct.  29, 
1813,  d.  April,  1858.  He  d.  Wilton,  Tune  20,  1888,  age  78  yrs.,  3  mos. ;  one 
dau..  Mrs.  Dunbar;  one  son,  Tra  Gardner  was  a  captain  in  Civil  War. 
lived  in  Fitchburg,  Mass. 

Alvah  Wilkins.  son  Eli  Wilkins,  lived  in  Fast  Dist..  m.  (1)  Sarah, 
dau.  James  Hill.  She  d.  Oct.  19,  1857,  age  61.  He  m.  (2)  Mrs.  Sarah  S. 
Gould,  Sept.  25,  1860.  He  d.  Oct.  5.  1862,  age  65.  Ch.  by  first  wife,  a 
dau.  m.  Peter  Douglass;  had  one  ch. 

Jonathan  Wilkins,  son  of  Rev.  Daniel  and  Sarah  (Fuller)  Wilkins; 
a  Revolutionary  soldier,  served  on  board  the  armed  ship  Hague,  was 
wounded  in  battle  with  British  vessel.  He  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Vpril  L8,  is:.' I. 
aged  75.     Susannah,  his  first  wife,  d.  Dec.  23.  177s,  age  30.     Ch.   were. 


170  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

1.  Polly,  m.   Bradford. 

2.  David  G.,  lived  Addison,  Vt. 

3.  Jonathan,  lived  Goffstown. 

4.  Samuel,  lived  New  Albany,  Ind. 

5.  Robert,   lived  Jaffrey.  N.  H. 

6.  James,  b.  Dec.  15,  1784,  was  apprenticed  to  James  McKean  of  Am- 
herst, whence  he  took  the  name  of  McKean.  lie  rem.  to  Maine  with 
Mr.  McKean.  where  his  education  was  neglected.  When  he  returned  to 
Amherst  at  the  age  of  1'.)  he  was  unable  to  read  or  write.  Determined 
to  have  an  education  he  applied  himself  vigorously  to  study,  fitted  for  col- 
lege, grad.  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1812,  read  law  with  Hon.  Daniel  Ab- 
bott of  Dunstable  and  practised  many  years  in  Bedford  and  Manchester. 
He  served  as  Representative,  Senator  and  Councillor,  and  d.  Manchester 
unm.  Jan.  18,  1855. 

Abiel  Wilkins,  1).  Jan.  6.  1778.  "Was  the  son  of  Wm.  Wilkins  of 
English  descent,  whose  mother  lived  in  Salem,  Mass.  She  was  accused 
when  a  girl  of  being  a  witch,  went  home  from  church  and  when  they  fol- 
lowed her,  her  father  fought  them  with  pitch  lire  brands  and  thus  saved 
his  child.  Very  little  is  known  of  Wm.  Wilkins.  Abiel  removed  from 
Salem,  or  that  vicinity,  after  the  Revolutionary  War.  settled  on  the  farm 
in  the  South  Dist,  now  owned  by  Jesse  R.  Wilkins.  Abiel  had  five  sons 
who   reached   manhood.      Ch. 

1.  *William. 

2.  James,  moved  to  Antrim  in  1799,  m.  Lydia  Whinole  -robably 
sister  to  his  brother  William's  wife).  'He  d.  June  13,  1801.  James,  his 
eldest  child,  d.  Weston,  Vt.,  had  nine  ch.  His  youngest  son,  Dea.  Joel 
Wilkins  of  Antrim,  m.  (1)  his  cousin,  Betsey  Wilkins;  m.  (2)  H.  B. 
Crombie.     He  d.  Nov.,  1865;  had  11  ch. 

3.  Enoch,  m.  Sally  Case,  lived  in  Antrim.  He  d.  June  13,  1851,  age 
75.     She   d.   1852. 

4.  *  Abiel.  b.  Jan.  6,   1778. 

5.  Jesse,  d.  of  spotted  fever,  1812,  age  30  years. 

6.  Phebc,  m.  John  Heywood,  March  27,  l"825. 

William  Wilkins,  son  of  Abiel,  moved  from  Mont  Vernon  to  Antrim 
in  1798,  m.  (1)  Sarah  Whipple  of  Hamilton,  Mass.;  m.  (2)  Elizabeth 
Hopkins  of  Antrim.  He  d.  May  15.  1837,  age  63.  He  had  five  ch.  by 
first  wife  and  two  ch.  by  second  wife.  His  second  ch.,  Betsey,  b.  1801, 
became  first  wife  of  her  cousin,  Dea.  Joel  Wilkins.  His  seven  ch.,  Maria 
Eliza,  m.  John  Kidder  of  Mont  Vernon,  Sept.   15,   1837,  is  still  living. 

Abiel  Wilkins,  son  Abiel  Wilkins.  b.  Jan.  6,  1778.  lived  on  homestead 
where  he  d.  July  31,  1859;  m.  Amy  or  Emma  Hevwood,  dau.  Wm.  Hey- 
wood, Jan.  31,  1812.  She  was  b.  April  15,  1791,  d.  Aug.  23,  1872.  He  d. 
Julv   31,   1859.     Farmer.      Ch.   b.    Mont   Vernon. 

'  1.     Abigail,   b.    May   10,   1812,   m.    March,    1832,   *Elbridge   F.    Perkins, 
b.  Julv  29,  1811.     She  d.  Oct.  4,  1853. 

2.  Jesse  b.   Sept.  24.  1813,  d.  Sept.   10,  1818. 

3.  Eliza,  b.  Nov.  21.  1815.  m.  Sept..  1837,  George  E.  Robbins  of  Wil- 
ton. 

4.  *Luke,  b.  April,  1818. 

5.  Emma  J.,  b.  Aug.  4,  1820,  d.  July  17,  1854,  m.  April  10,  1844,  Wil- 
liam P.  Duncklee  of  Milford,  wdio  was  b.  Aug.   28,  1817. 

6.  Almira  Wilkins,  b.  Jan.  17.  1825.  d.  Dec.  13,  1852,  m.  Tyler  Tup- 
per  of  Mont  Vernon. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERXON.  in 

Luke  Wilkin-,  son  of  Abie]  and  Amy  (Heywood)  Wilkins,  I'.  Mont 
Vernon,  April.  1818,  d.  May  s.  1857;  lived  on  Wilkins  farm  in  South  Dist., 
m.  June  22,  1st:;.  Elizabeth,  dau.  of  Mark  1 ).  and  Lucy  (Whipple)  Lang- 
dell.  She  was  1).  March  1.'!.  1820.  She  m.  (  :.' )  Levi  Curtis,  Nov  28  1867 
d.  Milford,  May  28,  1897.     Ch.  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

l.     *.Tesse  R..  b.  Dec.  1:1,  i  s 4 -l . 

:.'.  Mary  E.  b.  Oct.  10,  1846,  m.  (  l  i  Dec.  15,  1869,  James  A.  Langdell, 
who  (1.  April  2,  1870;  m.  (2)  Chas.  11.  Gutterson,  March  31  l  srr ;  one 
si  mi  :  res.  Mont  Vernon. 

3.  Lucy  J.,  b.  Nov.  29,  ists.  m.  Oct.  It.  1871,  Henry  AppletOll 
Hutchinson  of  Mont  Vernon,  rc>.   Mum  Vernon;  live  ch. 

4.  Emma  1:..  b.  Jul)  '.,:.',  ls.->:,.  m.  Nov.  30,  1876,  Marcus  U.  Gutterson 
of  Milford.  d.    Milford,   Dec.    10.    1884;   one  ch.,  Alburen. 

•' .     Luke  A.,  d.  June  ".'T,  1862,  aged   10  yrs.,  9  mos. 

Jesse  R.  Wilkins.  sou  Luke  Flizabcth  (Langdell")  Wilkins  b.  Mont 
Vernon,  Dec.  13.  1844,  in.  Oct.  14,  1871.  A.  Frances,  dau.  John  and  Mary 
(Nichols)  Follansbcc.  She  was  h.  Londonderry,  Dec.  25,  1848.  He  lived 
in  South  Dist,  until  1S91,  when  he  moved  to  the  north  part  of  Milford; 
farmer.     Ch.  b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Willie  A.,  b.  Oct.  28,  1S72,  meat  cutter,  m.  June  30,  1896,  Cora 
I'.elle.  dau.  George  and  Abbie  (Flanders)  Stone  of  Greenville,  res.  Mil- 
ford. 

:.'.  Frances  M..  b.  May  10.  1S74,  m,  March  5,  1896,  Louis  A.,  son 
Thos.  R.  and  Adalinc  A.   (Crosby)   Hall  of  Milford;  res.  Alilford  ;  two  ch. 

:;.     Clarence   K.,  b.   Aug.   17,   1888. 

Benjamin  Wilkins,  m.  Naomi,  dau.  Cooley  and  Sarah  (Burnham) 
Smith.  She  was  b.  April  25,  1757,  d.  May  11.  1850;  settled  in  Lyndeboro; 
several  ch..  a  dau.,  Naomi,  m.  Abraham  French,  d.  Now  11.  1871,  aged  86 

yrs.,   :!    mos. 

His  son,  Benjamin  Wilkins.  settled  in  H dishorn,  m.  Nov.  27,  1806, 
Lydia,  dau.  Ebenezer  and  Flizabeth  T.  S.  Batchelder.  She  was  h.  Nov. 
21,  1786,  m.  Nov.  27,   1806;  several  ch. 

Silas,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Naomi  (Smith)  Wilkins,  lived  in  West 
Dist..  m.  Martha,  dau.  Lt.  Joseph  and  Mary  (Lyon)  Farnum  of  Mont 
Vernon,  Nov.  21,  1810.  He  d.  Oct.  29,  1851^  age"  61.  His  wife  d.  April 
14,  1841.  age  51.     Ch    b.   Mont  Vernon. 

1.  Sophronia,  b.  June  22,  1812,  m.  Dec.  15,  1832,  *Capt.  Leander 
Smith,   d.    Antrim,   Nov.   25,   1882. 

2.  Naomi  S.,  b.  Feb.  9,  1814.  m.  (1)  Jan.  10,  1833,  Win,  Underwood 
of  Amherst,  had  three  ch.  He  d.  Nov.  28,  1841.  She  m.  '2)  John  H. 
McConihie  of  Amherst;  two  ch.     She  d.  July  25,  1900. 

3.  Hannah,  b.  May  11.  1816,  m.  *Trask  W.  Averill,  Oct.  11,  1849;  one 
ch.     She   d.    Feb.    28,    1900. 

4.  Silas,  h.  July  3,  1819.  m.  Helen  M.  Tappan,  lived  in  Bradford  and 
Newport. 

5.  James,  b.  June  8,  18:23;  stable-keeper,  Nashua. 

6.  Emily  M.,  b.  Sept.  15,  1820,  m.  May.  1847,  Walter  M.  Gilson ;  res. 
Nashua  and  Mont  Vernon. 

Charles  Lucien  Wilkins,  son  of  Frederick  and  (  Marston)  Wil- 
kins, b.  Montgomery,  Vt.,  lived  in  a  house  which  stood  between  the  Belle- 
vue  and  Dr.  Hallowell's,  and  where  C.  J.   Smith  now  does  ;   was  a  house 


172  HISTORY  OF  MOXT  VERNON. 

painter:  moved  to  Milford  in  1871,  thence  to  Amherst,  Mont  Vernon  and 
New  Boston,  where  he  d.  by  drowning  Aug.  13,  1888,  age  G5.  He  m. 
Mary  Mills  of  Chester,  X.  H.  He  served  in  8th  X.  11.  Regt.  in  Civil 
War.     Ch. 

Charlena  M.,  m.  May  1,  1878,  Waler  Wilkins  of  Omaha,  Neb.,  re- 
sides Omaha.  Neb. 

WINCHESTER. 

Lemuel  Winchester,  son  of  Isaac  and  Deborah  Winchester,  b.  Tewks- 
bury,  Mass.,  May  13,  1740,  m.  Lydia  Flint  of  Reading  in  1760,  served  in 
French  and  Indian  War;  moved  to  Mont  Vernon  between  1768  and  1775; 
settled  on  farm  in  East  Dist.,  served  in  the  Revolution  from  Amherst,  now 
Mont  Vernon,  was  a  corporal,  promoted  to  sergeant ;  moved  to  Danvers, 
where  he  d.  Feb.,   1841,  aged  101  years.     Ch. 

1.  Silas,  m.  Dolly  Wilson,  lived  and  d.  in  Danvers,  Alass. 

2.  Lemuel,  b.  1768,  lived  and  d.  in  Andover,  Mass. 

3.  Isaac,  twin,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  19,  1770,  m.  Polly  Balch ;  ch. 
lived  in  Providence,  R.  I. 

4.  Deborah,  twin,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  19,  1770,  m.  Elias  Cheney 
of  Antrim,  moved  to  Vermont.  Among  her  ch.  were  two  sons,  Franklin 
Cheney,  who  was  the  father  of  Rev.  William  P.  Cheney,  Rector  Church 
Good  Shepherd,  Oakdale,  Mass.,  and  Jesse  Cheney,  father  of  Benj.  P. 
Cheney,  who  was  a  famous  expressman  in  Boston  and  became  a  million- 
aire. 

.">.     Lydia.  b.  1771,  b.  Geo.  Sumner,  descendants  live  in  Hill.  X.  H. 
(i.     Betsey,  b.  1779,  m.  Samuel  Sargent  of  Hill. 

WIXX. 

Alonzo  Winn,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Clarissa  (Foote)  Winn,  b.  An- 
trim. Dec.  22.  1849.  m.  1871,  Elnora,  dan.  George  and  Sarah  (Battles) 
Jones.  She  was  b.  March  22,  1851,  in  Xew  Boston.  He  resided  in  the 
East  Dist.  several  years ;  rem.  to  Wilton  ;  now  lives  Mont  Vernon ;  is  a 
farmer ;   no  ch. 

WOODBURY. 

John  Woodbury  came  to  Cape  Ann,  Gloucester  in  1624,  moved  to  Bev- 
erly in  1626,  was  an  energetic,  faithful  and  worthy  man,  d.  1641,  probably 
not  above  60  years  of  age.  We  regard  him  as  standing  next  to  Conant  in 
intelligence  and  usefulness  in  the  colony.  His  son,  Humphrey,  b.  1608, 
during  his  residence  in  Somersetshire,  Eng.,  came  over  in  1628,  was  head 
of  a  family  in  1638.  His  descendants  were  Peter,  1;  Josiah,  2;  Josiah,  3; 
Peter,  4;  Peter,  5.  They  were  all  thrifty  and  substantial  citizens.  John 
Woodbury  at  death  owned  a  house  in  Salem,  where  he  had  first  settled, 
though  he  probably  then  resided  at  the  farm  near  the  pond  being  East  of 
and  adjoining  Roger  Conant's.  The  five  planters  were  Conant,  Woodbury, 
Palfrey.  Balch  and  Trask. 

William  Woodbury  was  b.  England,  1589.  John,  his  brother,  was  for 
some  10  years  his  servant.  John  settled  at  Cape  Ann  1624,  and  was  one 
of  the  old  planters,  who  settled  Salem  1626.  He  was  second  of  the  five 
old  planters  to  whom  1000  acres  was  granted  in  that  part  of  Salem  after- 
wards incorporated  as  Beverly,  where  he  and  his  brother,  William,  who 
came  to  Massachusetts  in  1631,  planted  and  their  descendants  multiplied. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  173 

John  Woodbury's  200  acres  is  still  owned  by  one  of  his  descendants,  Levi 
Woodbury. 

Peter  Woodbury,  son  of  Peter  and  Hannah  (Perkins)  Woodbury,  b. 
Beverly.  Mass.,  .March  28,  1738,  d.  in  Antrim,  I  lei  LI,  L817;  m.  Mrs.  Eliz- 
abeth (Dodge)  Rea  or  Ray  in  1760,  wid.  of  James  Ray.  She  d.  Antrim, 
April  19,  1812,  age  69  years.  They  settled  in  Amherst,  now  Mont  Vernon. 
He  rem.  to  Antrim  in  1799  or  1800,  From  C.  L.  Woodbury  in  New  Eng- 
land Historical  and  Genealogical  Register  Jan..  1894:  "As  Peter  Wood- 
bury  signed  a  petition  in  1770  relative  to  town  affairs  in  Amherst,  lie  was 
already  living  there.  He  was  an  ardent  rebel.  His  name  is  fifth  of  those 
who  in  April,  1776,  pledged  to  resist  with  arms  and  fortune  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  British  Parliament  on  American  Liberty.  He  was  of  the 
Legislature  who  formed  the  first  constitution  of  New  Hampshire,  and  was 
frequently  on  the  Committee  on  Puhlic  Safety.  Two  of  his  sons,  Levi  and 
Jesse,  served  in  the  army  and  were  afloat  under  the  flag.  Peter,  the  third 
son,  enlisted  at  13.  hut  his   father  stopped  him." 

His  cousins,  Josiah  and  James,  were  at  Lake  -George,  and  tradition  says 
that  he  was  out  one  campaign  in  the  French  War.  He  passed  some  years 
as  a  sea-faring  man  and  in  1760  m.  a  widow  of  17  years,  with  one  son,  a 
woman  of  shrewdness  and  energy,  who  d.  in  Antrim,  April  9,  1  s i :j ,  age 
69  years.  He  served  as  Representative  to  the  General  Court  and  joined 
in  the  convention  which  made  the  first  constitution  of  New  Hampshire. 
He  lived  on  the  place  afterwards  known  as  the  Dr.  Adams  place  in  the 
village.     He  probably  moved  to   Antrim  about   1800.     Ch. 

1.  Levi,  b.  Beverly,  Jan.  20,  1761.  captured  on  the  privateer  Essex 
and  carried  a  prisoner  of  war  to  England,  where  he  d.  at  Plymouth. 

2.  *Jesse,  b.   Oct.  2,  176::,  d.  Texas,  about  1835. 

3.  *Peter,  b.  Jan.  9,  1767. 

4.  Betsey,  b.  Mont  Vernon.  Feb.  9,  1770,  m.  June  5,  1787,  Peter  Jones 
of  Amherst,  d.  April  3,   1843;   four  ch. 

5.  Hannah,  b.   Mont  Vernon.  Feb.    14,  1772,  d.  young. 

6.  *Mark,  b.    Mont  Vernon,  Jan.   1,   1775. 

Peter  Woodbury,  son  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Dodge)  Woodbury,  b. 
Jan.  9.  1767;  lived  and  d.  in  Francestown,  Sept.  12,  1s:;4;  m.  April  23, 
17S7,  Mary,  dan.  James  and  Hannah  (Trask)  Woodbury.  She  was  b. 
Mont  Vernon.  Aug.  15.  1769,  d.  Francestown,  Dec.  31.  1839.  Ch.  b.  Fran- 
cestown. 

1.  Mary,  b.  Oct.  28.  1787,  m.  (1)  Dr.  Adonijah  Howe  of  Jaffrey;  m. 
(2)   Dr.  Luke  Howe  of  Jaffrey;  d.  Jan.  18,  1875. 

2.  Levi,  h.  Dec.  2,  1789,  Governor  of  New  Hampshire,  Secretary  of 
Treasury  under  Jackson  and  Van  Buren,  Secretary  of  Navy,  first  term  of 
Jackson;  Associate  Justice  Supreme  Court,  I'.  S. ;  d.  Sept.  4,  1851;  m.  a 
Miss  Clapp  of  Portland.  Me.:  three  dan.  and  one  son,  Chas.  Levi  Wood- 
bury of  Boston. 

*3.     Peter   P.,  b.   Aug.   8,   1791,  physician  in   Bedford;   d.   Dec.   5,   1860. 
He  was  an  ancestor  of  Gordon  Woodbury  of  Manchester. 

4.  Antress  B.,  b.  May  29,  1793.  m.  Nehemiah  Eastman  of  Farming- 
ton,  d.  Sept.  10,  1847;  had"  ch. 

5.  Martha,  b.  Aug.  14,  1796,  m.  Thomas  Grimes  of  Windsor,  Vt.,  d. 
Dec.  25,   1854;  had  ch. 

6.  Hannah  T„  b.  March  17,  1799.  m.  Isaac  O.  Barnes  of  Boston. 
Mass.,  d.  Feb.  28,  1855;  no  ch. 

7.  James  Trask,  b.  May  9,  1803,  lawyer  and  clergyman,  d.  Acton, 
Mass..  Jan.  16,  1861. 


174  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

8.  Harriet,  b.   May  1,  1805,  m.   Perley  Dodge  of  Amherst;   three  ch. 

9.  Jesse,  b.  May  17,  1807,  m.  Hannah  Duncklee ;  had  ch. ;  lived  in 
Francestown. 

10.  Adeline,  b.  April  22,  1809,  m.  Edwin  F.  Bunnell  of  Boston.     They 
went  to  California. 

11.  George  Washington,  b.  June  2,  1811;  physician  in  Yazoo  Co,  Miss 
d.  Feb.,  1876. 

Mark  Woodbury,  son  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Dodge)  Wroodbury,  b. 
Mont  Vernon,  Jan.  1,  1775,  d.  in  Antrim,  March  17,  1828;  a  successful 
merchant  in  Antrim  ;  m.  Alice  Boyd  of  Antrim.     Ch.  b.  Antrim. 

1.  Luke,  b.  Dec.  25,  1800,  d.  Aug.  27,  1851 ;  was  Judge  of  Probate  for 
Hillsboro  Co.,  and  at  time  of  his  death  was  Democratic  candidate  for  Gov- 
ernor of  New  Hampshire. 

2.  Sabrina,  b.  Feb.  4,  1804,  m.  George  W.  Hill  of  Montpelier,  Vt,  d. 
May  8,  1862. 

3.  Mary,  b.  Dec.  8,  1805,  m.  Joshua  C.  Dodge  of  Francestown,  d. 
May  3,  1836. 

4.  Betsey,  b.  May  8.  1808,  d.  in  infancy. 

5.  Betsev,  b.  May  8,  1809.  m.  Benj.  B".  Muzzev  of  Boston,  d.  March 
20,  1849. 

6.  Mark  B.,  b.  May  9,  1811,  d.  Oct.  24,  1874;  merchant  in  Antrim. 

7.  Fanny,  b.   Nov.   14,   1813,    d.   Oct.   15.   1858. 

10.  Nancy,  b.  Oct.  28.  1817,  m.  <  1)  A.  N.  Moore;  m.  (2)  George  C. 
Trumbull,  d.  Boston,  Oct.  21.  1855. 

11.  Levi,  b.  Aug.  18,  1820,  d.  Antrim,  Aug.  10,  1865. 

12.  John  B.,  b.  Aug.  13,  1823;  lived  in  Antrim. 

Lt.  James  Woodbury.  ( Line  of  descent :  1,  John  Woodbury,  who 
d.  1641;  2,  Peter,  youngest  ch.  of  Tohn.  b.  1640.  d.  1700,  m.  Abigail  Batch- 
elder  ;  3,  Peter,  b.  Dec.  12,  1666.  m.  wid.  Mary  Dodge,  b.  about  1673.  She 
d.  Nov.  20,  1763  ;  left  three  sons  and  four  dau. ;  4,  Peter,  b.  June  20,  1705, 
m.  Hannah  Batchelder).  Their  son,  James,  b.  Beverly,  June  4,  1738,  d. 
Francestown,  March  3,  1823.  m.  Nov.  5,  1761,  Hannah,  dau.  Josiah  and 
Abigail  Trask.  She  was  b.  Beverly,  Sept.  28,  1741,  d.  Francestown,  Oct. 
5,  1819. 

When  he  was  about  20  years  old,  March  31,  1758,  he  enlisted  in  Col. 
Bagley's  Regt.  Mass.  Rangers,  and  marched  to  Lake  George,  where  he 
participated  in  all  the  hard  fighting  and  scouting  of  that  campaign.  Lord 
Howe  was  with  this  regiment  fiehting  at  the  front,  when  he  was  killed. 
James  again  enlisted  in  Col.  Bagley's  regiment,  which  went  to  Louisburg, 
and  part  of  it  to  Quebec,  where  it  was  at  the  battle  of  Abraham  Heights 
with  Wolfe.  James  was  wounded  in  this  battle,  where  he  was  a  subaltern 
officer.  After  a  few  years  of  sea-faring  he  had  a  share  of  the  proprietors 
lands  in  what  is  now  Mont  Vernon,  where  he  moved  apparently  in  1767, 
as  he  ceased  beine:  taxed  in  Beverly  in  1767.  In  March,  1776.  he  was  one 
of  the  signers  of  the  declaration  of  resistence,  was  active  on  town  com- 
mittees during  the  Revolution  to  levy  the  quota,  to  provide  for  the  families 
of  soldiers  in  the  field,  and  on  the  Committee  of  Public  Safety.  He  freely 
advanced  his  money  for  the  service.  He  was  taxed  in  Mont  Vernon  until 
1810,  when  he  removed  to  Francestown  and  lived  in  the  family  of  his  son- 
in-law.  Peter  Woodbury,  where  he  d.  March  3,  1823.  He  owned  and 
lived  on  the  place  below  the  town-house,  now  owned  by  Estate  of  Dr.  C. 
M.  Kittredge.  He  gave  the  land  on  which  the  church  and  town-house 
now  stands,  for  church  purposes  ;  also  the  cemetery.     Ch. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  17:. 

1.  Mehitable,  b.  Aug.  15,  176:3.  m.  *James  Ray  of  .Mont  Vernon,  May 
5,  L780,  d.  Francestown,  Feb.  14,  1858. 

2.  Abigail,  1».  March  13,  1705.  m.  Eben  Eisk  of  Wilmot,  was  a  grand- 
mother of  Gov.  E.  A.   Straw  of  New    Hampshire. 

:s.  Hannah,  b.  Beverly,  Oct.  5,  1766,  m.  *Capt.  Joseph  Perkins  of 
Mont    Vernon,   d.    Mont    Vernon,    April    15.    1856. 

4.  Mary,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  15,  1769,  in.  April  23,  1787,  Peter 
Woodbury,  d.   Francestown,   Dee.  31,    1839. 

5.  Sarah,  b.  Mont  Vernon,  May  5,  1771,  in.  (1  )  Josiah  Beard,  Dec.  :;, 
179.'i ;  m.  (2)  Isaac  Andrews  of  Hillsboro,  d.  Francestown,  March  25,  1863; 
had  ch. 

6.  Anna.  1).  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  4.  1774,  m.  *John  Averill,  Jr.,  of 
Mont  Vernon,  d.  May  9,  1858. 

7.  Betsey,  h.  Mont  Vernon.  Aug.  11,  1777,  111.  Oct.  10,  1795.  Paul 
Whipple  of  Xew  Boston.  They  are  grandparents  of  J.  Reed  Whipple, 
proprietor  of  Young's  Hotel.  Tourainc  and  Parker  House,  Boston; 
10  ch. 

8.  Lucy,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  Oct.   4.   1779,  d.  June  25,   1782. 

9.  Lucy,  1).  Mont  Vernon,  Aug.  17,  1783,  m.  Sept.  7,  1800.  John  S. 
Tyler,  d.  Xew  York,  May  12,  1813. 

Jesse  Woodbury  son  of  Peter  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Dodge.)  Ray,  b. 
Oct.  2,  17(52,  in  Beverly,  Mass.,  moved  with  his  parents  to  Amherst  (  now 
Mont  Vernon)  about  1773,  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War  in  .1780,  m. 
Abigail  Boutell  of  Lyndeboro  in  1784,  moved  to  South  Weare  about  1785. 
He  was  in  trade  in  South  \veare  from  17S9  till  his  death,  Oct.  6,  1802. 
His  wife  d.  March  24,  1862.     They  had  seven  eh. 

WOOD  WELL. 

Rev.  William  H.  Woodwell,  son  of  Hon.  David  T.  Woodwell  and  Mary 
(Haskell)  Woodwell,  b.  Newburyport,  Mass.,  Sept.  9,  1844,  fitted  for  college 
at  Newburyport  High  School,  afterwards  learned  the  printer's  trade  in  the 
office  of  the  Boston  Transcript,  entered  Bowdoin  College  in  1865,  grad. 
in  1869,  pursued  a  full  theological  course  at  Andover  Seminary,  grad.  in 

1872,  was   ordained   pastor   Congregational   Church,   Wells,    Me.,   June   12, 

1873,  dismissed  in  the  Autumn  of  1875.  In  Nov.,  1875  he  came  to  Mont 
Vernon  and  was  engaged  to  supply  the  pulpit  for  one  year  with  reference 
to  a  permanent  settlement.  His  ministry  here  continued  nearly  four  and 
one-half  years,  he  delivering  his  farewell  discourse  March  28,  1880.  From 
Jan.,  1881.  to  July,  188S,  he  was  employed  in  teaching  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  From  1883  to  July,  1887,  he  was  in  the  ministry  at  Orient,  Long 
Island.  Since  March,  1889,  he  has  been  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  Sandwich.  Mass.  (He  was  there  at  last  accounts.)  When  not 
a  resident  minister  to  a  parish  he  has  resided  in  his  native  city,  supplying 
various  churches  temporarily  as  opportunity  offered.  He  m.  Miss  Martha 
Haskell  of  Newburyport,  Mass.,  April  18,  1873.     Ch. 

1.  Julian  Ernest,  b.  Jan.  7,  1874. 

2.  Eva   Cecilia,  b.   Mont  Vernon,  March  2.  1878. 

3.  Willie  Herbert,  b.  Sandwich  Island,  May  3,  1881. 

4.  Auher  Roscoe,  b.  May  23,  1883. 

5.  Carolus  Svlvester,  b.  Feb.  9,  1889. 

WOODS. 
Walter  Woods,  son  of  Moses  and  Alice  (Lynch)  Woods,  b.  New  Bos- 


176  HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON. 

ton,  Sept.  27,  1819,  m.  Lucy  Patterson  of  Amherst,  Feb.  9,  1845.  She  was  b. 
Jan.  6,  18:23;  ch.  all  1).  in  New  Boston.  They  moved  to  Mont  Vernon  in 
1884. 

1.  Francena  E.,  b.  July,  1846,  m.  Jan.  22,  1ST;;,  Chas.  H.  Clark  of 
Francestown,  res.  Francestown;  one  ch.,  Dell  F.,  b.  Feb.  8,  1882. 

2.  Charles  W.,  b.  Sept.  1,  1848,  d.  Sept.  5,  1869. 

::.  Edward  C,  b.  Oct.  2,  1854,  lived  Mont  Vernon,  d.  unm.  June  4, 
L903. 

4.  John  A.,  1).  Sept.  3,  1857,  m.  Dec.  20,  1882,  Abby  M.  Richardson 
of  Lebanon;  commercial  traveler;  res.  Manchester;  one  ch.,  Bertha  L., 
1).   Mont  Vernon,   May  20,    1884. 

5.  Frederic   11.,  b.   May  2,  1860,  d.  July  18,   1861. 

6.  Willard   Patterson,  b.   Oct.   5,    1862;   commercial  traveler. 

7.  Mary  Jumna,  b.   Sept.    15,   1865;   stenographer  in  Nashua. 

WYMAN. 

Charles  Wyman,  b.  Greenville,  N.  H.,  came  to  Mont  Vernon  in  1871 
and  purchased  the  farm  now  owned  by  Estate  of  Dr.  C.  M.  Kittredge ; 
rem.  to  Amherst  in  1894,  where  he  now  resides;  m.  (1)  Eliza  Felch  of 
Sutton.  She  d.  Wilton,  March  17.  1902.  M.  (2)  Mrs.  Priscilla  (Page) 
Bacon. 

Ch.  by  first  wife  : 

1.  Emma,  m.  Willis   11.  Abbott  of  Wilton. 

2.  Katherine,  d.  young. 

3.  Frank,  went  to  Mexico. 

4.  Fred,  lives  Boston. 
Ch.  by  second  wife  : 
Edith,  b.  Mont  Vernon. 

Henry  O.  Wyman,  brother  Charles  Wyman,  b.  Greenville,  N.  IT.,  1822. 
Was  a  merchant  tailor  in  Lowell.  Manchester  and  other  places;  lived  in 
Mont  Vernon  12  years,  d.  there  Aug.  24.  1894,  was  a  widower  when  here, 
m.  a  dan.   of  City   Marshall   Shedd   of  Lowell:   had  ch. 

WINTERS. 

Thomas  Winters,  son  of  Thomas  and  Esther  (Jeans)  Winters,  b. 
Liverpool,  Nova  Scotia,  Dec.  2."..  18-17,  m.  May  5,  1871,  Mary  A.,  dau. 
Charles  A.  and  Esther  S.  (Cloutman)  Gray  of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was 
b.  Mont  Vernon.  Sept.  8.  184!).  Me  lived  in  Worcester  on  the  place  in 
village  now  occupied  bv  Kneeland  C.  White,  moved  to  Milford,  1887;  is 
a  contractor  and  builder.     Ch. 

1  Charles  1'..,  b.  Worcester,  Mass..  Aug.  14.  1872.  lives  Svracuse, 
N.  Y. 

2.  Mabel  A.,  b.  Worcester,  July  7.  1874,  m.  April  18.  1900,  Dr.  Quincy 
IT.   Merrill,  res.  Leominster,  Mass. 

3.  Fred  G.,  b.  Worcester,  Dec.  10,  1876;  res.  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
4      Cora   C  b.   Mont  Vernon,    Feb.   1,    187!). 

5.  Alice  E„  b.  Mont  Vernon,  April  29,  1894. 

WARD. 

Richard  Ward,  son  of  Ephraim  and  Mary  (Haven)  Stone  Ward.  b. 
Newton,   Mass.,   Sept.   9.   1739,  m.   Peggy  Chandler  of   Bedford,    Sept.    16, 


J.    FRANK   WELLINGTON. 


HISTORY  OF  MONT  VERNON.  177 

J 764,  and  settled  in  Mont  Vernon.  Here  they  continued  until  Feb..  17'J4, 
when  they  removed  to  Chester,  Vt,  where  he  d.  Dec.  27,  1795.  She  d.  in 
March,  1812.  He  seems  to  have  taken  quite  an  active  part  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Northwest  Parish  (now  Mont  Vernon)  in  1780,  and  was  one 
of  the  first  members  of  the  church  here.     Ch. 

1.  William,  b.  1765,  was  a  physician,  d.  in  Maine. 

2.  Margaret,  b.   1767,  d.  in  Andover,  Vt.,  in  1841,  unm. 

3.  Sally,  b.  July  26,   1769,  m.   Caleb  Barton  of  Chester,   Vt.,   in   1798, 
d.  July  26,  1799,  had  one  child. 

4.  Sarah,  b.   1772,  d.   in    IT'.):.'. 

5.  Richard,  b.  in  1774,  m.  Hannah  Smith  in  1798,  d.  June  6.  1832,  had 
four  ch. 

6.  Zachariah  Chandler,  b.  in  1781,  m.  Elizabeth  Willard  in  1802,  d. 
in   Bolton,  Warren  Co.,  New  York,  Aug.  14,  1842,  had  eight  ch. 

7.  John,  b.  in  1782.  m.  Sally  Lord,  resided  in  Hague,  N.  Y. 

8.  Sally,  m.  (  1  )  Jonas  Putnam  of  Windham.  Vt.,  both  became 
Mormons.     After  his  decease  she  m.  again  and  settled  in  New  York. 

9.  Thomas,  b.  in  1788,  m.  Rebecca  Gerald,  resided  in  Northfield.  Vt.. 
had  no  ch. 

WRIGHT. 

James  Wright  came  here  from  Pepperell,  Mass.,  lived  a  few  years  in 
the  house  near  Purgatory  Brook  in  West  District,  where  he  d.  Feb.  10, 
1873,  age  56.  He  m.  Elizabeth  Fox  of  Vermont,  who  lived  there  until 
1890.  She  m.  (2)  George  Towne,  son  of  James  and  Mary  J.  (Swin- 
nington )  Towne;  m.  (3)  Nathaniel  Morrison  of  Peterboro.  She  m.  (4) 
1890,   Franklin  Grace  of  Tamworth,  N.    H..  where  she  now  resides. 

WILLIAMS. 

Warren  Williams,  b.  Greenfield,  lived  here  must  of  his  life:  lived 
in  South  District  and  village;  farmer;  d.  Mont  Vernon,  July  25,  1883.  age 
77  vears  ;  m.  Oct.  23,  1836,  Lucy.  dau.  Peter  and  Lydia  (Farmer)  Foster, 
of  Mont  Vernon.  She  was  b.  July  21,  1801,  d.  Mont  Vernon,  Mav  2  .1892. 
Ch. 

1.  Lucy  A.,  d.   Aug.  9,  1856,  aged  17  years. 

2.  Sarah  M.,  d.  Feb.  12,  1849,  aged  5  years,  9  months. 

Hannah  Williams,  a  sister  of  Warren  Williams,  m.  Morris  Bane, 
March  28,  1839.     They  moved  to  Milford. 

ROLLINS. 

John  Rollins  lived  in  East  District,  where  John  D.  Brown  afterwards 
lived.  He  in.  Marv,  dau.  of  Daniel  and  Ruhama  (Cutter)  Smith  of  Mil- 
ford.  She  was  b.  Milford,  Aug.  22.  1789,  d.  Mont  Vernon.  April  8.  1S24. 
He  d.   in    1860,  aged   80  years. 

SEARLES. 

Isaac  Searles,  m.  June  27,  1824,  Betsey,  dau.  John  and  Catherine 
(Harris)  Lamson.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  July  24,  1805.  d.  March  18. 
1884,  at  Milford.  He  was  a  laborer,  lived  in  the  house  which  stood  north 
of  the  Bellevue,  which  i^  now  the  Golf  Club  House.     Ch. 


178  HISTORY    OF    MOUNT    VERNOX. 

1.  *Charles. 

2.  George  was  killed  by  a  kick  from  a  horse  in  1872,  m..  had  one  dau., 
who  m.  Lucien  Durant  of  Litchfield,  N.  H..  res.  Litchfield,  X.  H. 

S.     Levi,  d.   March   18,    1876. 

4.  Hiram,  m.  Etta,  dau.  of  Charles  A.  and  Clarinda  J.  (  Felch)  Foster. 
She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon.  Aug.  20,  1857,  d.  Goffstown,  Nov.  24,  1902,  3 
ch.  d. 

5.  Samuel,   went   to    Xew   Jersey. 

Charles   Searles,  son  of  Isaac  and   Betsey   (Lamson)    Searles,  m.    (1) 
Stevens,  m.   (2) ,  lived  in  Dunstable,   Mass.     One 


von,  Charles,  m.  Helen,  dau.  Charles  and  Mary  A.  (Hill)  Marvell,  March 
12,  1878.  She  was  b.  Mont  Vernon,  Nov.  22.  1855,  d.  Haverhill,  Mass., 
Dec.  27.  1899,  had  several  ch. 

STEEL. 

Joseph  Steel,  a  wheelwright,  settled  in  that  part  of  Souhegan  West, 
now  Mont  Vernon,  before  the  incorporation  of  Amherst  (1760).  He 
died  Feb.  23,  1788,  in  his  82nd  year.  He  is  buried  in  Mont  Vernon. 
His  will  was  presented  for  probate  March  24  of  that  year.  In  it  he 
names  his  wife,   Sally,  and  children. 

He  was  one  of  the  petitioners,  from  what  is  now  Mont  Vernon,  who. 
in  1753,  petitioned  for  the  incorporation  of  what  was  afterwards  the 
town  of  Amherst. 


INDEX 

TO  GENEALOGY. 


INDEX. 


A. 


Abbott.  Dca.   Ephraim 5 

Rev.    Samuel    

Rev.  Stephen    5 

Hon.   John   T 5 

Adams.    Dr.    Daniel    5 

Rev.    Darwin    

Dr.   Daniel  Lucius    6 

John    Smith    6 

Rev.  Daniel  Emerson   7 

Charles   Darwin    ' 

Dea.  Jonathan  S 

Alexander.   James    ' 

Familv    ' 

Q 

Alcntt.   Gilman    

Anderson,  Edwin  L 

D.    A 

Averill,  John    

Daniel     

John,  Jr 

Jesse   

Levi     

John    

Trask  W n 

Jesse,  Jr 

George  Woodbury   

Woodbury  T 12 

Charles   E 13 

Joseph   W 13 

James   J 13 

Granville  C 13 

Edward  G 13 

Moses,   Jr 13 


182  INDEX. 

B. 

Baker.  Daniel  W 14 

Baldwin,     Timothy     14 

Samuel     15 

Samuel    Dane    15 

Bancroft,    Stowell    15 

Andrew    J 15 

Dr.  Cecil   Franklin   Patch    16 

Batchelder,   Ebenezer    16 

Ebenezer    17 

Capt.  John    IT 

Ebenezer    18 

Reuben    K 18 

Ezra    18 

Dea.    John    19 

Edmund     19 

Perley     19 

Amos    20 

Hiram     20 

Dea.  George  Gage   20 

Battles,    Samuel    20 

Thomas   W 21 

Beard,  Charles   Rodney   21 

Samuel  J 22 

Bennett,  John  H 22 

Bishop,    Henry    22 

Blanchard,   George   W 22 

Berry,  Rev.  Augutsus   23 

Blood,  George   A 23 

George  Henry   23 

Charles    W 23 

Joseph    H 24 

Boardman,    David    24 

Bohonan,  Walter    24 

Boutelle,  Lilly  E 24 

Boutell,   Horace   S 24 

Reuben     25 

Bradford,    William    25 

Enos    26 

Joseph    26 

William,  Jr 26 

Lambert    26 

Bragg,  Harry   H 27 

Alonzo    W 27 


[NDEX.  I-:: 

Broun.   Amasa    27 

James    A 

John    Dalton    28 

Browne.  Rev.   Donald   ->!) 

Bruce,  Rev.  John   :-"-' 

Dea.    John     2v) 

James    30 

Capt.    William    30 

Nathaniel     :;,) 

Nathaniel   F :u 

Joseph  FT.  A 31 

John    Erastus    31 

Levi    W - 

Alonzo    Swan     -i- 

George    Anson    32 

Bullard,   Edmund  E 33 

John  A :;i 

Bunton,   Dr.    Sylvanus    ■    •  :'"; 

Burnham,  Azel  W 33 

William    P 34 

Oramus   Walter    34 

John    34 

John    A 34 

William   Gage    ^5 

Andrew    35 

C. 

Cambridge,    Charles    35 

Joseph   L 36 

Campbell,    Henry    36 

Samuel     36 

William    Henry     36 

Clark     36 

Carkin,    Charles    37 

Carleton,   Edward    37 

Dea.    Oliver 37 

Stephen     38 

Dea.    John    38 

John    39 

Enoch     39 

Oliver     40 

Daniel     40 

William  Davis   40 

John    Adams    41 


184  INDEX. 

Carleton,  Joseph  G 41 

Carpenter,  Rev.   Charles   C 41 

Carson,  John  J 42 

George   J 42 

Frank    43 

Alexander     43 

Asa    43 

Frank   S. 43 

Chapin,  Rev.   Stephen    44 

Cheever,    Rev.    Ebenezer     44 

Cleaves,     Nathan     44 

Dr.  Nathan  W 45 

Nathaniel     45 

Joshua     45 

William   Lincoln    45 

Clement,    Jesse    40 

Stephen   Glidden    4f> 

Dr.  Thomas  R 46 

Cloutman,  Cant.  Thomas 46 

Thomas.  Jr 47 

Coburn,   Josiah    47 

George   Clinton    48 

Stephen    Chapin    48 

Codman,  Dr.   Henry    48 

Nathan     49 

Coggin,   Joseph    49 

William    49 

Joseph,   Jr 49 

Nathaniel     50 

Daniel     50 

Luther    50 

John   II 50 

George    Whitfield    51 

Francis     51 

Colby,   John    51 

Augustus    Grovesnor    51 

John  Freeman  51 

Cole.   John    51 

Tyler     51 

Conant,    Roger    51 

Jonathan    52 

Lot     53 

Israel    53 

Israel  Elliott  53 

Dea,  William   53 


rXDEX.  's:' 

Conant,  Dea,  William  Henry  :'4 

Dea,    Albert    :>4 

Dea,   Charles   Edwin •'~t 

Dea,  Walter   Scott :>4 

Dea.   Harlan   Page 

Joseph     °° 

Cox,   George  Wilbcrt    '•' 

Crooker,  James   At '■' 

Crosby,  Joseph  Fritch   :,ri 

Curtis,  Jacob    °" 

Levi     56 

Carr,   Alexander   M 56 

D. 

Davis,  Benjamin  F " 

Deland.  Samuel   5T 

Dean.    George    '" 

Dearborn,  Dr.  Samuel  Gerrish a° 

Dike.  Benjamin    D" 

Stephen     58 

Dodge,  Richard   58 

Josiah     


Allen 


59 


Henry  Codman    

Henrv  Francis  


Dillon,   Lawrence 


60 


Douglass,   Daniel    

George   Oscar    

Dunbar,  Stephen   6n 

Dunlap,    Thomas    

Durant,    Benjamin    • 

Dutton,  David    61 

Andrew    J (;1 

E. 

Ellenwood,  Mr 61 

Elliott.   John    61 

Estey,  Jesse    6~ 

Emerson,  Widow  Rachael   6'- 

F. 
Fairfield,   Henrv  M 6;- 


186  INDEX. 

Farnum,  Lieut.  Joseph   63 

I  srael    63 

Fitzpatrick,    William    64 

Flanders,   Elijah  Clark    64 

Fletcher,   Dexter   64 

George    I  toward    64 

Flint,    Simeon    64 

Follansbee,   John.   Sr 65 

John.    Jr 65 

Forsaith,   Charles    65 

Foster,   Peter    65 

Isaac    66 

Xewell   Dean    66 

Charles  Abraham   66 

George   Barrett    66 

Charles    Woodbury    66 

Charles    Alfred    67 

Fits,  John    M 67 

William    Henry    67 

French,  Abraham    67 

Frank  B 67 

Augustus  B 67 

Frink,  Rev.  Bens.  >n  ~M 68 

Fuller,   Nathaniel,  Jr 68 

G. 

Gerrish,  Dr.  Alfred  A 68 

Gilbert,  Adna  A 6s 

Giles,  George  B 6(.i 

Gleason,   Jay    Morton    6!) 

Goodridge,  Lieut.  Allen   6(.t 

Allen,    Jr 61) 

Gould,   Stephen    70 

Timothy     70 

Mrs.    Mary    70 

Green,   George  W 71 

Nathan     71 

Cornelius    P 71 

Daniel   H 71 

Greenwood,  Francis  C 71 

Gurdy,  William  P 72 

Gutterson.   Charles   H 7:2 


'NDF.X 

II 


Hadley,  Dr.  Dcwitt  Clinton  

( ieorgc  C.    . .  

Gilbert     

William    Fred  

I  lartshorn.  John  •  •  ~:! 

I I  orwood,  John   

Kilhurn   73 

Hagen,   John    73 

Herbert,  Rev.  Charles  1) ■  ' 

Herlehy,  David  J 

Maurice    ■  •  •  •  74 

Herrick,  Josiab    ■  ! 

roseph     75 

Jonathan     75 

I  leywood,   Nathaniel    75 

Rev.   Joshua    76 

William     76 

Hildreth,  Edward   76 

Hill.    Timothy    76 

James    76 

Ira    77 

Timothy   Barrett   77 

Benjamin  Franklin   '.  77 

William  ( )rledge   78 

Holt,    Ehenezer    7S 

Ebenezer,  Jr > 

Ezekiel    78 

Stephen    D 7!) 

Hooper,    Wallace    D 7!) 

Hopkins,  James   '<'■' 

James,   Jr 7!) 

Jacob     SO 

1  lumphrey,  Leander  F SO 

1  lutchinson,    Elisha    SO 

Jesse    so 

John    W -i 

Xoah  B 81 

Andrew  Buxton    

Lucius  Bolles   .  SI 

I  lenry   Appleton    S1 

Rodney    K 

Hollis   Benjamin    


188  INDEX. 

I. 

Ingalls.   Charles  Osmyn    82 

Ireland,  William  H 83 

James   Edward    83 

Charles    Henry    83 

Isola.  Charles  F 84 

J. 

Jaquith,  Asa   84 

Tssac    84 

Jenkins,  Micah  84 

William  Patten    84 

Jennison,  Rev.  Edwin   85 

Johnson,    Lardis    85 

Warren   D 85 

George  T 85 

Jones,   Nathan    86 

Nathan,    Jr 86 

Timothy     86 

Peter     87 

Nathan     87 

Col.  Levi   87 

George    87 

Bradley     88 

Plumer   88 

Solomon     88 

K. 

Keeler,  Rev.  Seth  H 88 

Kendall.  Capt.  Thaddus   89 

George    Wilkins    89 

Dea.   Jacob    90 

Amos    90 

Jacob     90 

Jonathan    91 

Josiah    91 

Simeon  Flint    91 

Daniel     91 

Daniel     92 

Tra   92 

Daniel   Porter    92 

William  H 92 


[NDEX.  L89 

Kendall,    Asa    9:_> 

Henry   Appleton    93 

Kidder,  Thomas  Karr    9:; 

William   L 9;j 

William  L.,  Jr 94 

John     94 

Kimball,    Porter    94 

Kingsbury,  Rev.  Nathaniel   91 

Kinson,  George  94 

Kittredge,   Solomon    95 

Solomon,    Jr 9."> 

Dr.  Zephaniah    9(5 

Josiah    96 

Dr.   Stephen    96 

Dr.    Ingalls    97 

Dea,   Josiah    97 

Zephaniah    97 

Zephaniah    98 

Dr.    Josiah     98 

Capt.  Timothy   98 

Charles    Alfred    99 

Henry   J 99 

Franklin  Otis   99 

Charles    Franklin    99 

Zephaniah    100 

Dr.  Charks  Marsh   100 

Kennedy,    Michael    100 


L. 


La  Forest,  Samuel  (  His  100 

Leach,  Capt.   Lebbens   101 

Lamson,  Samuel 101 

Jonathan    101 

Jonathan     101 

John    101 

William    10:2 

Capt.   William    102 

John   L 102 

Capt.  William  Osborne  103 

Frank   ( )sborn    103 

Langdell.    William    103 

Joseph     103 

Ezra    104 


190  INDEX. 

Langdell,    Mark   D 104 

Stephen    Chapin    10-4 

Leavitt,  Andrew    105 

Sarah    105 

Lewis,   Rev.   Thomas  J 106 

Livingstone,  Samuel  A 106 

Charles    A 107 

Lovejoy,   Joseph    107 

Loveren,  Alvah   107 

Lord.    Rev.    Charles    E 107 

M. 

Manning,  Albert   D 107 

Henry     108 

Elisha    108 

Marden,  Nathan    108 

Benj amin    Franklin    108 

Nathan    Richmond    10!) 

William    S 109 

George  Augustus    1 09 

Samuel    K 110 

Marvell.   William    110 

Elbridge     110 

Charles     110 

William    Henry    1 10 

May,   Clinton   S 110 

McCollom,  Alexander   Ill 

George  W Ill 

Dr.  Alexander   Ill 

Milton     1  !;_> 

Charles    R 112 

John  Trow    112 

McCrillis,  Albert  B 112 

MeGown.  Rev.   Richard  H 112 

McQuestion,    Hugh    N 113 

Thomas  H 113 

Mills.   Capt.  John    113 

Ebenezcr    114 

John     115 

Ebenezer,  Jr 115 

Ezekiel    116 

Mitchell,  Joshua    116 


INDEX.  l'.'i 
N. 

Xichol>.  Jacob    HG 

Newman.   Moses    116 

Nutter.  Benjamin   II? 

fnlin    I) 117 


O. 


( )'Brien.  John    lir 

(  Mell.  William 118 

William.   Jr 118 

Luther    118 

William     lis 

Luther     118 

(  )rd\vav.  1  >aniel   11!' 


P. 


Parker.  Lieut.   Robert    110 

Robert     HO 

Capt.   Benjamin    120 

Caesar     120 

Granville    120 

Elbridge     120 

Peabody,  Col.   Stephen    120 

Samuel     121 

Moses    121 

Perkins.  John   122 

Joseph     1 22 

Mark    Dodge    12:: 

Joseph     12:; 

Dr.  James  Woodbury    123 

Hiram     124 

Elbridge    Fisk    124 

John    Trask    124 

Daniel   Smith    124 

Pike.  Peter  F 125 

Fphraim     125 

Pinkham,  William  F L25 

Preble.   125 

Prentis^,  John    !;>.-, 

Perham,   Ji  >el    Prank    n>(; 


192  INDEX. 

R. 

Ramsey,   Dr.  John 126 

Ray  or  Rea,  James 126 

Raymond,  John   127 

George    l'-~ 

John    127 

Jesse     128 

Andrew  Wallace  128 

George    I28 

Nathaniel     128 

Robert  Burns  128 

Charles  1 1  enry  128 

George  A 129 

Edwin   H 12» 

Reed,  Jesse   129 

Reilly,  James    129 

Richardson,  Parker   129 

Jotham    1;5° 

Nathan   Fuller    130 

Thomas   Haskell   130 

John   G 131 

William    B 131 

William    131 

Daniel   131 

Riley,   Patrick    131 

Roberts,   Benjamin  F 132 

Robinson,  Jesse   132 

Jesse    O 132 

Robv.  John    132 

Rollins,    John    177 

John,   Jr 133 

Clinton     133 

Rotcll,    .Matthew   Griffin    133 

William  Boylston   134 

Russell,  Joseph    134 

Walter   Wood    134 

Josiah,  Jr / 134 

Ryan,  William   1?A 

S. 

Sanborne,   George   E 135 

Sanderson,   Henry    135 

Sargent,    Daniel.   Jr 135 


INDEX.  193 

Sargent,  James   W 136 

Thomas    136 

Orcutt  J ™ 

Searles,  Isaac  

Charles  

Secombe,  Daniel   

Shedd,  Nelson  E 136 

Shattuck,   Noah    137 

137 
Simonds,  Benjamin 

Smith,  Cooley    138 

Aaron   138 

Jacob     138 

David    138 

James    138 

Daniel     -   139 

David    139 

Jacob    139 

Dr.  Rogers   14° 

Asa  Dodge   14° 

Rev.  James   G 141 

Jesse    4 

James    4 

Dr.   Luther   141 

Capt.  Leander    *42 

William  Harrison  4 

James    ±i 

Dr.  Norman  143 

Hon.  Charles  James 14'' 

Dea.   Daniel    *44 

John    144 

Daniel  Harrison    "° 

Frank     145 

Rev.  Bezaleel   145 

Huntingdon   Porter    44,r> 

Southworth,  Capt.  Chester  R 146 

Spaulding,  Otis  M 146 

Spofford,  Abijah  146 

Starrett,  David   14G 

Dea.  Joseph  A 146 

Albert  Gardiner    147 

William  Sullivan  A 147 

William  A 147 

Steel,  Joseph    *7S 

Stearns,  John  147 

John  W I47 


194  INDEX. 

Stearns,   Daniel    148 

Seth   P 148 

Stevens,  Calvin  148 

Asa    149 

William    149 

Daniel  150 

Samuel   N 150 

Sawyer    Hon.  Aaron  Flint  150 

Hon.  Aaron  Worcester   151 

Stiles,  David    151 

David  A 151 

Cyrus    152 

Stinson,  William  Stark   152 

William  A 152 

Major  Charles  Frederick  152 

Thomas  Henry   153 

William    Stark    153 

Col.  William  H 153 

Story,  Simon   153 

Swinnington,  Elisha  153 

Josiah   154 

T. 

Tarbell,  Joseph   H 154 

Temple,  Arthur   Prince    154 

Thorpe,  Rev.  John  155 

Todd,  George  M 155 

Towle,  Charles  A 155 

Towne,  James  D 15G 

George  E 156 

James  C 156 

Travis,  Alonzo    156 

Trevitt,  Richard    157 

Capt.   John    157 

Dr.   Henry    157 

EH    158 

Victor 158 

Dr.  William   158 

Trow,  Joseph 158 

Joseph    158 

Jesse    159 

Joseph    159 

Franklin     159 


INDEX.  195 

Trow,   Arthur   Allen    160 

Daniel  Webster  160 

Joseph  Perkins   160 

Henry  Hiram  160 

Elbridge   Fibk    160 

Louise  Allen    161 

Charles  Henry  161 

Jesse  S 161 

Tupper,  Tyler   161 

Tuten,  Robert  P L61 

Tuttle,  Charles  Bell  162 

Twiss,  Dimon   162 

Abraham  G 162 

Thompson,  Alpha  162 

U. 

Upton,  Ezekiel 163 

Ezekiel,  Jr 163 

Josiah     163 

David    163 

David  E 163 

James     16:; 

Underwood,  Joseph    164 

Charles   164 

W. 

Wallace,  Andrew    164 

Milton   W 164 

Miles  E 16!! 

Ward    176 

Weston,  Ebenczer    ' ,i:> 

Daniel     165 

Thomas    L65 

Isaac   166 

Thomas,  Jr 166 

Lieut.  John   166 

James    166 

Wetherbee,   Asa    167 

Jesse     167 

Joseph     167 

White,  Kneeland  C 16~ 

William    168 


196  INDEX. 

Wilkins,  Ba\     168 

Joshua 168 

Abijah    168 

Eli    1«'8 

Abijah    16!) 

Charles  Warren    169 

Ira     16!' 

John   L 16!) 

Alvah    169 

Jonathan     169 

Abiel     170 

William    170 

Luke    171 

Jesse    R 171 

Benjamin     17.1 

Silas    Hi 

Charles   Lucien    171 

Williams,  Warren  177 

Winchester,  Lemuel   172 

Winn,  Alonzo    172 

Woodbury,    John    17:.' 

Peter  17:: 

Mark   174 

Lieut.  James   174 

Jesse    175 

Woodwell,  Rev.   William  H 175 

Woods,  Walter    175 

Wyman,  Charles   176 

Henry  0 176 

Winters,  Thomas    176 

Wright,  James  177 


INDEX.  197 

INDEX    TO    PORTRAITS. 

Adams,  Daniel,  M.   D 5 

Bragg,  Harry  H 2? 

Bruce,    Nathaniel,    Est} 30 

Carpenter,   Rev.   Charles   C 41 

Conant,   Albert    54 

Conant,    William    53 

Conant,  William  H 54 

Dearborn,  Samuel  G.,  M.  D 58 

Dodge,   Henry   F 59 

Hutchinson,  Noah  B 81 

Kendall,  William   H 92 

Kittredge,  Franklin  Otis   99 

Lamson,   Capt.   William  0 103 

Marden,   I  Ion.    George   A 109 

Raymond,    Charles    H 128 

Smith,  Hon.  Charles  J Frontispiece 

Starrett,  Joseph  A 146 

Stinson,  Major  Charles  F 152 

Trevitt,    Capt.   John    157 

Wellington,  J.   Frank   176 


The    following   portraits    were    added   after    the    index    was   made  out. 

Bruce,    Hon.    George   A 32 

Bruce,   Joseph    H.   A .".1 

Bunton,    Sylvanus,     M.    D 33 

Campbell,    Cassins    S 37 

Campbell,   Clark    36 

Colby,    John    II 51 

Gleason.   Dea.  Jay   M 69 

Hutchinson.     Lucius     V< 82 

Kittredge,   Charles    M.,    AI.    D 100 

Hunt,    Prof.    Lucien    ( Historical    Part ) 157 


Second  Printing,  1976 


At  the  town  meeting  held  in  March,  1975,  the 
citizens  oj  Mont  Vernon  voted  to  reissue  the 
original  town  history  oj  1907  in  honor  oj  the 
United  States  bicentennial  celebration.  The 
original  town  history  was  removed  from  the 
archives,  photographed  and  reprinted  by  off- 
set lithography. 

This  1976  version  was  produced  by 

Wallace  Press,  Inc. 

Milford,  New  Hampshire 


CENTRAL  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

University  of  California,  San  Diego 

DATE  DUE 

DEC  1  *  1984 

U.C.S.D. 

M|GAU  iS8b 

TJLrAKtD  ILL 

'NTF^UBRARY  10* 

r 

CI  39 

UCSD  Libr. 

